


Plus Ones

by orphan_account



Category: Death Note, Death Note & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, M/M, hey i'm reposting this, sort of enemies to friends to lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-08
Updated: 2015-12-11
Packaged: 2018-05-05 16:36:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5382365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matt needs a favor and it ends up with Mello pretending to date Near. What is the world coming to?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> well here it is folks, a fake bf au for meronia. it's a little ridiculous but...eh haha. this is actually my first time writing for them, so hopefully i didn't make them too ooc. anyways i have a lot of this written out, but i still need to go over and edit a lot of it haha. special thanks to spiritcrimson/lawlietsjustice for encouraging me to post this!
> 
> edit: ummm long story short i deleted this and now it's back. hooray! (everything should still be the same idk)

“No.” Mello shook his head.

“Please?!” Matt whined.

“Nope.”

“Please, please, please?! You have to!”

“No, I really don’t.”

“C’mon dude, you owe me.” Matt insisted, leaning forward and pointing at him.

“How the fuck do I owe you?”

“You got chocolate all over my back seat!”

“Ugh. God damn it, I could’ve sworn I cleaned that...” Mello said under his breath.

“Well you didn’t and now it looks like shit back there. Literally. So yeah, you owe me.” Matt narrowed his eyes. Mello scowled at him.

“Whatever.”

“That’s what I thought.” Matt sat back, a satisfied smile on his face.

“This is really stupid.” Mello muttered, turning back to his phone, fingers tapping away.

“Nah, it’ll be great! Just spend a couple weeks pretending to be someone’s boyfriend and then bam! Everyone will realize we’re not actually dating and Linda will swoon all over herself.” Matt said confidently.

“I’m sure she’ll be falling at your feet.” Mello said, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah!” Matt either didn’t recognize the sarcasm or chose to ignore it.

“Did you ever consider that maybe, just maybe, she knew you were single but opted to assume that we were dating so that she didn’t have to feel bad about turning you down?” Mello asked, eyes still glued to his phone.

There was a slight pause.

“Wh- no!” Matt screeched, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat. “No! I’m sure it’s just because you’re perpetually single, people think that I’m dating you out of pity or something.”

“Fuck off, I’m not perpetually single.” Mello turned to glare at Matt, who started snickering. “I’m just not desperate, unlike some people…”

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean!” Matt protested.

“It means we all know you sucked Light Yagami’s dick at that frat party last month. If that’s not desperate, I don’t know what is.”

“I am not responsible for what goes into my mouth after 6 shots of tequila.” Matt said reasonably.

“You’re desperate and slutty, I call ‘em like I see ‘em.” Mello said distractedly, turning back to his phone.

“Okay can we, like, not use the ‘S’ word?!” Matt whined, throwing a pillow at Mello’s head.

“Ugh, whatever. So who is this magical person I’m supposed to be dating then? Should I just make someone up?” Mello asked, locking his phone and turning his attention to Matt. Matt looked deep in thought, stroking his chin.

“No, I want this news to kick in soon. Some rando that we make up isn’t gonna cut it. We’re gonna punch everyone in the face with your new relationship.” Matt said seriously. “Just don’t worry about it, okay?! I’ll find someone and take care of the whole thing!”

“Fine, whatever.” Mello shrugged, standing up and walking to the kitchen of their dorm room. He and Matt took one half of the room, sharing with two other guys, A and Matsuda. A stayed locked up in their bedroom, while Matsuda constantly went in and out of the dorm.

Mello grabbed a chocolate bar from the freezer, taking a bite as he leaned against the counter. Meanwhile, Matt whipped out his phone, opening a new message.

From: Matt  
To: Near  
Hey hey hey you’re single right?!

~~~

“Mello, hurry up! Your new boyfriend will be here in like, 5 minutes!” Matt called out, fidgeting by the bathroom door.

“I’m changing my mind!” Mello yelled, running his fingers through his bangs. He stared at his reflection frustratingly before finally gathering his hair into a low bun. This had to be the dumbest thing he’s ever agreed to do. He picked some lint off of his black t-shirt, shrugging at his appearance.

“Please don’t! Remember how much you love me!” Matt said through the door.

Mello opened the door, glaring at Matt.

“Who is it again?” He asked, sticking his hands in his pockets as he leaned against the doorframe.

“Just some guy in one of my classes.” Matt said vaguely, looking towards the door. “He owed me a favor.”

Mello narrowed his eyes, opening his mouth to ask more, when there was a light knock at the door.

“Oh! He’s here!” Matt’s face lit up. “Now be nice, okay?”

Mello rolled his eyes. He would make no promises. Matt opened the door.

“Hey! Come on in!” He said cheerfully, stepping aside to reveal the visitor.

Mello’s mouth fell open in shock. Standing in his doorway was a slender young man, a good few inches shorter than Mello, shaggy white hair and a blank face. Near, the guy he probably hated more than anyone he’d ever met. Just the sight of him made his blood boil.

“What the fuck, Matt?! What is he doing here?!” Mello asked angrily, his fists clenching involuntarily.

Near walked in, unaffected by Mello’s less than friendly welcome.

“Hello.” He said quietly, pocketing his phone. His sharp eyes took in the room, finally landing on Matt.

“Near! How’s it going?!” Matt asked happily, ignoring his roommate’s outburst. Mello wanted to kill the both of them.

“Matt! Seriously, what the hell?! Is this your idea of a joke?!” Mello yelled, stomping over to his so-called friend.

“Mello, I know you’re upset, so let’s just talk this out okay?” Matt said peacefully, sitting down on the couch, patting the spot next to him.

“MATT!”

Near sat down in the chair next to the couch, watching their exchange as he reached up to twirl a strand of hair between his fingers.

Mello growled in frustration, dropping onto the couch and glaring at Matt.

“Explain. Now.” He spit out. Near continued to twirl his hair as he shifted his gaze to Matt.

“O-okay, so here’s the thing. I know you two don’t exactly, um, get along…” He said hesitantly, having the decency to look chagrined. “But Near owed me a favor and I couldn’t think of anyone else!”

“You couldn’t think of anyone else?! Are you kidding me?! Literally anyone else would have been better than him!” Mello yelled, gesturing to Near.

“C’mon Mels, it’s not like it’s going to be for forever! You hold hands a few times, maybe show up to a couple places together, and that’s it! Please? You both owe me!” Matt said desperately, looking at Near and Mello.

“I already said it was fine.” Near said, shrugging. Mello narrowed his eyes at him before turning back to Matt.

“This is bullshit and you know it!” He seethed.

“Please, Mello?” Matt asked, clasping his hands together hopefully.

Mello moved his gaze between the two of them. There wasn’t a good way out of this. He knew Matt would pester him forever about it, which pissed him off even more. This crush was just his flavor of the week, not his fucking soul mate! Near, however, had been Mello’s nemesis since day one of university.

He couldn’t stand him, since the moment they met. That white haired little freak had had the nerve to talk over him in every single one of their classes together, eventually gaining favor with their professors and managing to score higher on their tests. Mello was the smartest person in their year; he knew he was! Then this smarmy asshole shows up and somehow manages to trick everyone into thinking he was the best.

Mello couldn’t stand his smug glances every time they got a test back, his snarky comments during group discussions. Mello was the best; he deserved the spot of valedictorian and he would do anything he could to achieve it. This was his pride and his future on the line, and some socially stunted weirdo wasn’t going to stand in the way of his rightful spot at number one.

And now Matt wanted them to pretend to date?!

“Do you really think anyone’s going to believe this?” Mello asked, crossing his arms petulantly. Matt’s eyes lit up at the sight of oncoming victory.

“I have to agree with Mello. It’s unlikely that anyone will think we’re together.” Near said quietly. Mello rolled his eyes at the sound of his annoying voice, ignoring the fact that Near was agreeing with him.

“No way, everyone will totally believe it! You guys have amazing chemistry!” Matt said brightly.

Near narrowed his eyes, looking confused. Mello’s expression turned incredulous.

“Wait, what?!” Mello half-shrieked.

“Um, okay well anyways thanks so much for agreeing to this you guys!” Matt said quickly, clapping his hands a couple times.

Mello couldn’t believe the situation his best friend had gotten him into. And then he thought of something.

“Wait a minute. What the fuck does he have on you?” Mello turned to Near, unable to keep the annoyance out of his voice. Matt’s cheerful expression darkened immediately.

“He threw my cigarettes into a puddle.” He said, narrowing his eyes at Near. Mello had to stifle a laugh, the shock overwhelming his previous crankiness.

“Seriously?” A giggle bubbled out anyways, earning him a glare from Matt. Near shrugged.

“Smoking’s bad for you.” He deadpanned.

Mello was halfway ready to say ‘He’s right,’ before catching himself.

“It’s gross.” He settled on instead. Near nodded at him, causing Mello to sigh in disgust. They weren’t in agreeance here, jeez.

“Enough about me!” Matt said pointedly. “So, game plan! How many classes do you guys have together?”

“Four.” Near said, reaching up to twirl his hair again.

“Feels like a thousand…” Mello muttered.

“Awesome! And Near, you live in the building, right?” Matt asked. Near nodded.

“Ahh! Even better!” Matt was positively beaming. Mello glanced at Near, wondering if he was feeling just as creeped out. Near looked a little put off, probably unused to so much social interaction, Mello figured.

“We can all walk to our first class together, and you guys can like, hold hands or something!” Matt said excitedly, looking between them. Mello shuddered at the thought.

“Ugh...fine, whatever.” He mumbled. Near shrugged, taking out his phone.

“Mello, what’s your phone number?” He asked, not looking up from his phone.

“Why?!” Mello snapped. Near glanced at Matt, then Mello.

“Ah, obviously so he can stay in contact with you about this whole thing! You know, make sure you’re on the same page and stuff!” Matt said hastily, trying to stay upbeat. Near nodded. Mello glared at them for a beat before relenting and telling Near his number. Near tapped at his phone, and a minute later Mello received a text from an unknown number.

To: Mello  
It’s Near.

Mello rolled his eyes.

“I have to get going. I’ll talk to you tonight to go over the details for tomorrow.” Near said, standing up and putting his phone in his pocket.

“Already?” Matt asked, tilting his head. “Alright, well thanks so much again, Near! You’re a lifesaver!”

Near merely glanced at Mello again before nodding and heading to the door, leaving the dorm room. Mello slumped back onto the couch cushions the moment he left.

“I can’t believe you did this to me.” He said, running his hands over his face.

“I really appreciate it, bro.” Matt said.

“Ughhhh….” Mello groaned unhappily.

“I wonder why he left so soon…” Matt wondered aloud.

“Being around normal humans was too much for him.” Mello grumbled, yelping when Matt smacked his arm.

“Be nice! That’s your boyfriend you’re talking about!” He said cheekily. “So, shouldn’t you be making this Facebook official?”

“Oh my god. No.” Mello wanted to die already.

“Well you have to make it Facebook official. That way everyone already kinda knows!” Matt grabbed his laptop from underneath the couch, opening it up on his lap. A few minutes later, he was on Mello’s account.

“What the- Jesus, Matt! That’s the 100th time I’ve changed that stupid password! Stop hacking into my shit!” Mello said, exasperated.

“Your passwords are so easy though. It’s not hacking if it takes like, 5 seconds to get into.” Matt laughed. Mello frowned. He’d used a really confusing jumble of letters and numbers that even he could never remember.

“Alright...what the fuck, you’re not even friends with him on Facebook!” Matt rolled his eyes. “Hang on…”

Mello watched as he quickly signed out, and a few clicks, some keyboard typing later, he was into Near’s account. Mello sighed, unlocking his phone and opening a game.

“Oookay, so you guys are now friends, and I had him request a relationship with you. This is so cute, I’m dying over here.” Matt said happily.

“Whatever.”

“And…” There was a quick succession of keys and clicks. “You’ve accepted! Look at you, you’ve got a boyfriend!”

Mello groaned unhappily.

~~~  
To: Mello  
From: Near  
I’ll be there in 10 minutes.

Mello huffed, shoveling the last bit of cocoa puffs into his mouth before placing his bowl in the sink. He ran to his and Matt’s shared bedroom, quickly pulling on a pair of black skinny jeans and replacing his ratty Metallica shirt with a plain black t-shirt. As he was putting his shoes on, he called out to Matt, who was in the bathroom. He grabbed his jacket, looping a scarf around his neck to protect against the chilly November weather.

“C’mon Matt, we gotta go.” He said loudly.

“We have time!” Matt’s voice muffled through the small space.

“I want to get coffee before class, so move your ass!” Mello yelled, opening his phone and looking through Facebook, ignoring the likes and comments on his new ‘relationship status.’

“Hey, you rhymed!” Matt said, walking out of the bathroom.

“Shut up. Let’s go.” Mello said, looking up.

“You look nice. Did you wash your hair?” Matt smirked. Mello flipped him off.

“Are we meeting Near?” Matt asked, putting on his jacket.

“Yeah, he’s coming here.” Mello grumbled.

“Aw, buck up little fella. You’ll get your coffee and your babe soon enough.” Matt said, smiling.

Mello sighed, sticking his hands in his pockets. There was a knock at the door, causing Mello to roll his eyes. Matt opened the door, revealing a slightly bundled Near. Matt greeted him enthusiastically, stepping into the hallway while Mello locked the door, nodding at him.

“Did you hack into my Facebook last night?” Near asked Matt, reaching up to touch a strand of hair. They had moved to walk side by side in the hallway, Mello trailing behind.

“Yeah! I figured it was easier than asking you!” Matt said brightly. Near let out a little ‘hmph’ sound before briefly glancing over his shoulder at Mello. Mello scowled at him.

“Do you want coffee?” Matt asked Near. Near shrugged, pressing the button for the elevator.

“Okay.” He said. Mello rolled his eyes. He didn't think he could make it more than 5 minutes being around Near’s nonexistent personality.

As they rode the elevator down, Matt turned and gestured between the two of them, a smirk playing on his lips. Mello let out a long suffering sigh, ready for this stupid thing to be over with. He glanced at Near, who looked bored as usual, before reaching down and grabbing his hand unceremoniously.

“Aww...thanks again you guys! Man I can't wait for Linda to see you!” Matt said, beaming. Mello glared at him, and even Near seemed a little annoyed.

The elevator dinged, and Mello tightened his grip slightly. He couldn't remember the last time he’d held hands with someone, to be honest. It was almost nice, save for the fact that it was Near he was holding hands with. On the bright side, his hands weren't clammy, like Mello had assumed they'd be. They weren't really anything.

They stepped out, and Mello risked a glance at Near, noticing that his usual blank face was slightly pink. Well, that wasn't very surprising. He had ‘antisocial virgin’ written all over him. (And yes, Mello might also be a virgin, but he had a social life, damn it. There was a difference! People liked him!)

As they walked out of the building and headed for the coffee shop, Mello noticed a few of their classmates staring at them. Sigh. They probably thought he and Near had lost their minds, which might've been slightly true.

They arrived to the coffee shop, Matt marching in happily, holding the door open for Near and Mello. The shop was full of early risers who’d had the same idea as Mello.

“So, since you guys are amazing friends, coffee is on me!” Matt smiled.

“Whatever. Get my usual.” Mello said, pointedly ignoring the stares in the shop. Ugh. Two heteros hold hands and people barely bat an eye. When two dudes do it, everyone may as well act like they're fucking in the street.

“I'll have Earl Gray.” Near said.

“Cool! Be right back!” Matt chirped. He went and got in line, while Mello looked around for a place to wait. All the seats were currently occupied, but there was an empty space along one of the walls. Mello turned to Near, about to point in that direction, when something stopped him.

Near’s face was pink again, his hand playing with his hair as he stared at his shoes. Mello resisted the urge to let out an annoyed sigh. This kid’s gotta get used to people staring at them a little, jeez. What did he expect?

“C’mon hipster…” Mello grumbled, tugging his hand along to the empty space.

“Hipster?” Near asked once they were standing away from the crowd.

“Yeah, who goes to a coffee shop to order tea? Hipsters do.” Mello said, not looking at him.

Near hummed.

“Oh my gosh, are you guys like, together?!” A small voice rang out next to Near. Mello leaned over, noticing two girls he had never seen before, sitting at a table and staring at them them wide eyes.

“Uh, yeah.” Mello said shortly, pulling on Near’s hand so his back was now to the girls. There was an excited gasp. Mello rolled his eyes. Near reached up to twirl his hair again, staring off into space.

“Oh my gosh!! That's so cute! You guys are so brave!” The girl gushed, her friend clapping happily.

“Oh my god…” Mello complained loudly, running a hand through his hair. Near sighed, turning around to look at the girls.

“Can you guys back off? You're making my b-boyfriend uncomfortable.” He said, his usual monotone voice sounding rather annoyed, even as he stuttered slightly. Mello’s mouth fell open in shock. Wait, what? Did Near just defend Mello’s honor? Sort of? What the fuck?

Near turned back to face Mello, taking his phone out of his pocket, acting like nothing happened. Mello glanced behind Near; the girls were looking rather embarrassed as they whispered together. Ha.

They stood in silence, holding hands. It was a little awkward, but Mello had been through worse. Mello looked out the window over Near’s shoulder, people watching. He might've been slightly grateful that Near wasn't much of a talker, but he would never admit to appreciating any aspect about his dumb personality.

“Do we have to sit together in class?” Near asked quietly, putting his phone back in his pocket.

“I don't know!” Mello snapped. Near raised a brow, his lips lifting to form a smirk. Mello narrowed his eyes.

“I want to punch you.” He gritted out.

“Do what you want. I'm not the one you're doing this favor for.” Near shrugged, his expression turning neutral once more. Ugh. Stupid Near, he was...not wrong. Mello wasn't a quitter anyways. He sighed.

“We probably don't need to sit together. We're not attached at the hip or anything.” He said quietly. Near nodded.

“Hello my little OTP!” Matt walked up with three to-go cups. Mello groaned audibly while Near rolled his eyes.

“One White Chocolate Mocha, plus extra chocolate for Mel Mel, and one Earl Gray for the hipster!” Matt announced, handing out the drinks. Near frowned as Mello barked out a laugh.

“C’mon Mel Mel, we’re going to be late.” Near said, taking a sip and pulling Mello’s hand as he walked off with Matt.

“Hey, do _not_ call me that!” Mello argued. Near looked like he was holding back a smile as they walked to their building.

~~~

The three boys walked into the building and were almost to their class when they got stopped by two people. A young man with messy dark brown hair, lazy posture and a knowing smirk, along with a pretty girl with honey blonde hair piled into a messy top knot and a cheery smile.

“Mello, Matt! Hi, Near! Oh my goodness, congratulations you guys!” Misa cheered, throwing her arms up before hugging all of them.

“Oh my, what do we have here?” Beyond’s smirk grew.

“You guys are soo cute!” Misa gushed, smiling happily.

“Hey guys!” Matt greeted them. Mello waved awkwardly, while Near said nothing.

“So, do you think anyone’s actually buying this?” Beyond asked, crossing his arms.

“Most of the people at this school are idiots, so yes.” Mello shrugged. Near nodded.

“Aw, so in sync already. Well, you have my blessing!” Beyond said cheekily, winking at Near. Mello raised a brow.

Misa gasped, looking heartbroken.

“Wait, it’s not real?!” She asked, forlorn. Everyone else shared a glance. Beyond rolled his eyes.

“Oh Misa, _of course_ it’s real! From enemies to true love in less than 24 hours, how could you not believe that?!” Beyond asked sarcastically, throwing an arm around her. Misa immediately broke out into a grin.

“You guys are so precious, I’m so happy for you!” She chirped. Beyond laughed and wheeled her around, walking off, the both of them waving as they did so.

“Ugh.” Near sighed. Mello was slightly curious about their interaction, but he didn’t care enough to ask.

Near loosened his grip from Mello, getting ready to walk to his seat. Matt immediately clapped a hand on each of their backs.

“Hey! Near, how about you take my seat? Ya know, so you lovebirds can be together, huh?” He asked, a big smile on his face.

“It’s fine, Matt.” Near said. Matt put his arm around Near’s shoulder.

“Haha, I _insist_!” He said, smiling while keeping his eyes trained on Near’s usual seat. Mello glanced over; of course, he forgot Linda sat next to Near. He sighed, annoyed.

“Whatever. C’mon.” Mello mumbled, letting go of Near and gesturing to his and Matt’s seats. There were a few giggles directed towards them as he and Near walked up the stairs to their row. Mello threw a glare at the source of the noise, silencing them immediately. Near quietly huffed out a laugh behind him.

They sat down next to each other, arms bumping slightly.

“Keep your bony elbows to yourself.” Mello muttered, scowling at Near.

“That’s not very neighborly of you.” Near quipped, smirking slightly.

“Fuck off.” Mello hissed. Near stifled a laugh, opening his notes.

Their professor walked in, along with a group of students rushing to their seats. The professor started his lecture, and Mello finally felt comfortable for the first time that day.

His peace lasted about 15 minutes.

“So, I’d like to to turn to you. What are your thoughts on societal ethics? Are they necessary? Can we think for ourselves? Or should we not be allowed such power?” His professor asked the class.

Mello’s hand went up at the same time as Near’s, and he turned to glare at him. Near tilted his head, looking the picture of innocence. Mello inched his hand a little higher. The professor nodded in their direction, technically looking at Near, but Mello took his chance anyways.

“Sir, I think that while ethics within society are necessary, there shouldn’t be so much emphasis on them. Obviously we can think for ourselves, and honestly there should be some leeway in what supposedly ‘right’ or ‘wrong.’ We aren’t idiots, and having these stupid social structures, these rules just make people want to act out even more! I mean, as a society-”

“Excuse me sir, while I think that his argument has merits, I’m going to have to disagree.” Near said, his subdued voice ringing throughout the room.

WHAT?!

“Hey! I wasn’t finished!” Mello said angrily.

“Mr. Keehl, please. I’d like to hear what Mr. River has to say.” The professor said.

“Like I was saying, I’m going to have to disagree.” Near began.

“Oh, what a fucking surprise!” Mello said, throwing up his hands. There was a murmur of shock throughout the class.

“Mr. Keehl, please refrain from using such language! Another outburst like that and you’re out!” The professor said sternly. Mello rolled his eyes, glaring at Near, who looked like he was holding back a grin. Mello wanted to strangle that little douchebag.

“As I was saying, while your argument does make sense, it’s not as simple as that. No one likes rules. But without them, our society would fail to exist. Even the most primitive tribes have a set of ethics that guide them. There are too many wildcards amongst humanity to just say ‘Have at it folks, do what you want.’ and expect them to not run the world into the ground. For example, a-”

“Well obviously!” Mello interrupted, turning to face Near. “But you have to remember, we have internalized morals! How likely is it that there would be total anarchy if societal rules were to disappear? As a species, we’re comfortable with having stability and wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize the world we live in!”

“Are you kidding me?” Near asked, his blank face showing hints of disbelief. “Everyday we destroy our society and the world we live in. Our cars, the food we eat, garbage piling up, pollution in the oceans, destroying forests, exterminating species, I could go on and on. Our society is barely holding together with the rules we do have, and now you think we should just let everyone go crazy?”

“I never said that!” Mello seethed, leaning in slightly. “I said that we know how to take care of ourselves! We don’t need a book of rules, because we innately know wrong from right. We have an internal set of ethics, within each of us, we don’t need society telling us what to do.”

“Yes we do!” Near snapped, sounding uncharacteristically frustrated. Mello smirked. “Sociopaths, psychopaths, serial killers, they don’t have that empathy, those internal morals. We take away all of our societal demands, and we’re left with them ruling the world. Is that really a world you want to live in? Humans are selfish, greedy creatures, you’re giving us way too much credit as a species.”

“You’re so pessimistic! You don’t have enough faith in us as a species!” Mello argued.

Suddenly, the sound of clapping interrupted them. They both turned in unison to see their impressed professor applauding them, the rest of the class joining in. Mello heard Matt catcall them and felt his face flush. He turned to Near, who had leaned back into his seat and let his impassive mask fall back on his face.

Mello’s heart was racing, and he wasn’t really sure why. He and Near debated all the time. Although, he had never done so while sitting mere inches from the other, and he had definitely never seen him lose his composure and let his frustration shine through.

“What a wonderful exchange of ideas! Thank you Mr. Keehl, Mr. River, for such an illuminating debate. Now, we veered off topic a little bit, but I think they captured the mood I was going for…” The professor droned on, losing Mello’s attention. He glanced over at Near, who was watching the professor, but seemed a little distracted.

“Don’t interrupt me again.” Mello whispered, scowling at Near. Near rolled his eyes.

“Don’t make a stupid argument.” Near whispered back. “I know you don’t actually believe that drivel.”

“No, I don’t, but I think it’s a valid argument!” Mello hissed.

“It’s a ridiculous position to take! You’re smarter than that, Mello!” Near said quietly, frowning. Mello was shocked into silence for a moment.

“Shut up!” He whispered, glaring at him. “You wouldn’t have had a leg to stand on without my initial argument!”

“So what, I’m supposed to thank you for creating a debate based on idiotic ideals?” Near whispered back incredulously.

“It wasn’t idiotic, it’s smart to know how to argue both sides of an issue, dumbass!” Mello said quietly, feeling his fists clench.

“I understand that, but you could’ve taken a better side than that.” Near whispered.

“Excuse me, is my lecture really that uninteresting to the two of you?” The professor’s voice rang throughout the room.

“No, sir.” Near and Mello said in unison. Mello crossed his arms, sighing in annoyance. Near couldn’t even respond to the professor without jumping onto Mello’s bandwagon! Get your own comeback!

“Perhaps you boys should continue your debates outside of the classroom.” The professor said sternly.

“Yeah or maybe they just need to fuck!” A voice called out from the opposite side of the room.

“Mr. Jeevas, I want 8 pages on the role of ethics in society on my desk tomorrow!” The professor snapped.

“God damn it…” Matt’s muttering could be heard throughout the classroom.

Mello let out a laugh, glancing at Near, who looked like he was smiling as well.

~~~

Mello and Near walked together to all their classes, refusing to go hand in hand, but it was better than nothing in Mello’s opinion. The only class they had with Matt was their first one, so they didn’t feel the need to be up in each other’s business the whole day since Matt wouldn’t be bugging them.

After Mello’s last class of the day, thankfully without Near, he was on his way back to his dorm when he got a text.

To: Mello  
From: Matt  
yooo light’s throwing a party this weekend, linda said she might go sooo you know what that means ;)

To: Matt  
From: Mello  
let me guess, you need me to babysit you

To: Mello  
From: Matt  
well not exactly but i was thinking this can be like your and near’s big debut!!!

To: Matt  
From: Mello  
i don’t want to go to a party with near

To: Mello  
From: Matt  
why! get him drunk loosen him up ;)

To: Matt  
From: Mello  
jfc no.

To: Mello  
From: Matt  
lol you sure? you guys had some great foreplay today in class ;) ;)

To: Matt  
From: Mello  
if i agree to the party will you shut the fuck up about that stupid class

To: Mello  
From: Matt  
YEAH

To: Matt  
From: Mello  
FINE

Mello groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. He hated parties, he hated babysitting Matt, and he hated drunk people. Add Near into the mix, and he knew he was going to be miserable. He opened up a new message.

To: Near  
From: Mello  
what are you doing saturday night

To: Mello  
From: Near  
I have work in the evening. After that, maybe studying.

To: Near  
From: Mello  
i guess there’s a party that night, matt wants us to go

To: Mello  
From: Near  
Okay

To: Near  
From: Mello  
Okay as in, you’ll be there?

To: Mello  
From: Near  
Yes. I’ll meet up with you after I get off work.

To: Near  
From: Mello  
fine


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey who's ready for a bucketload of exposition and a partyyyy?! *raises hand*
> 
> side note: mello has his scar already...i chose not to mention it in the last chapter for a few reasons (which would take a lot of time but i'll keep it short) but the main one was that it wasn't really relevant. it's not the only thing he thinks or cares about so it didn't need to be mentioned right away, if that makes any sense. (and i hc that he would be kinda insecure about it ok i'm shutting up now)

Mello brushed his teeth, staring at his reflection. He spit into the sink, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He pulled his hair back into a ponytail and sighed, ruffling up his bangs and frowning at his face, particularly the scar that took up almost half of his features.

The rest of the week had gone by fairly normal; Near met up with them every morning, they held hands to class, sat next to each other, and so on and so forth. After the second day, they wound up sitting next to each other in the majority of their classes. It was just easier that way, especially since they’d been walking everywhere together. Sometimes they would argue in class or occasionally share annoyed glances at some of the opinions their idiot classmates had.

It was different hanging around him than it was with Matt; Matt had zero motivation to participate or succeed in their classes. He just got off lucky being incredibly intelligent, and therefore didn’t care much about debates or what the professor had to say. Near, however, took an interest in everything that was going on in their classes, much like Mello usually did. It made for decent conversation, at the very least some well thought out arguments and observations.

Mello was almost looking forward to his classes by the end of the week, kind of enjoying the intelligent and sarcastic company that Near provided. Not that he’d ever admit it. Out loud. He still hated him, that was for sure. However, he would privately admit that there were some aspects about him that weren’t absolutely horrendous. Sort of.

He grabbed his floss, wondering if anyone actually believed that he and Near were dating, due to his appearance. Of course, they were probably surprised that Near would date anyone, but he couldn’t help but wonder if they thought that even someone as lame as him would be settling for a guy like Mello.

Ugh. Mello felt like such a loser, which was probably his least favorite feeling ever. He could deal with anything except feeling like a loser. Who cares how he looks?! He and Near aren’t even dating, not really. He shouldn’t care what anyone might think about their nonexistent dynamic. Except that he did care, just a little bit. It’s just...he hasn’t dated anyone for a couple years, not since before the accident. He never wanted to afterwards.

He went and saw a therapist, as suggested by his doctor. Between the cause of the accident and his ruined appearance, it was practically demanded. Dating was on the opposite side of his mind, for the most part. Sure, there were those self deprecating thoughts about how ‘no one would want him now,’ but they didn’t last that long. Not really. He never had any cause to think that way anymore.

There was just one problem. Mello had been _hot as fuck_ before the accident. Seriously. Everyone thought he was gorgeous, he thought he was gorgeous. Then in an instant, everything changed. He went from being a high ten down to a negative five. How fair was that, really? Now Matt was the hot one and Mello was reduced to being the awkward gross best friend. He wasn’t trying to have a pity party or anything, it was just the way things were. He’d always turned heads, only now it was less of a confidence booster, more of an annoying reminder of how freakishly different he was.

“Mello, hurry up in there! I’ve had 5 cups of coffee in the last hour, I’m dying out here!” Matsuda knocked on the door.

Mello sighed in frustration, throwing the floss down on the counter and opening the door. Matsuda backed up a little ways, intimidated by Mello’s glare.

“Sorry!” He mumbled, rushing past Mello. Mello tilted his head in confusion, staring at the closed door.

“You’ve got to work on that resting bitch face of yours.”

Mello turned around, seeing Matt leaning against the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee. Mello shrugged.

“Are you still going tonight?” He asked, walking over and grabbing instant hot chocolate from the cabinet.

“Uh, no.” Matt said. Mello looked over at him hopefully. “ _We’re_ going!”

Mello deflated immediately. He filled a large mug up with water, placing it in the microwave.

“Listen…” He began.

“Mello, stop! I know what you’re going to say!” Matt said, looking a little desperate.

“Oh? Well awesome then, we’re on the same page.” Mello smiled.

“Please don’t do this...why don’t you want to go?!” Matt asked, disappointed.

Mello shrugged, taking the mug out of the microwave. He emptied the powder into the water, stirring. He didn’t say anything.

“Hey. What’s the matter?” Matt asked, his voice taking on a more serious tone. Mello sighed dramatically.

“N-nothing’s the matter, alright? Maybe I just don’t want to watch you get wasted for the nth time while I sit in a fucking corner all night, surrounded by people I hate!” He snapped, taking a sip of his drink.

“Mello…” Matt sighed. “You’re not going to be alone this time.”

“Oh that’s right! How could I forget?! I’ll be with Near, another person I hate, who I’m being forced to spend time with as _another_ favor for you!” Mello said loudly.

Matt stared at him patiently, sipping his coffee. Matsuda quickly ran past them, shutting himself into his and A’s room.

“You wanna tell me what this is really about? I’ve got all night.” Matt said pleasantly. Mello glared at him.

“Nothing. Just forget about it.” He said, stalking off to their room and slamming the door.

He set his hot chocolate down on his bedside table before laying down, throwing an arm over his face.

This was so stupid. He shouldn’t have to go to some dumb party just because Matt asked him to. He didn’t want to be around people tonight, he just wanted to sit in the dark and marathon some show and forget about his stupid life.

An hour later, he was just starting the second episode of Gossip Girl when his phone buzzed.

To: Mello  
From: Near  
Practice ran late. I’ll be there in a half hour.

Ugh. Near. Mello had managed to forget about him and the whole night for almost an hour. Now he was on his way over here from God knows where, fencing probably, and Mello was so not in the mood. He sat in silence for some time, resting his eyes. Eventually, he took a deep breath and sat up, turning on the light.

It’s just one night, Mello told himself. He could do one night.

He got up and opened his closet, looking around. He found some worn in skinny jeans, slipping them on. Mello stared at the rest of his collection. There was a knock at the door before it opened, Matt poking his head in.

“Hey.” He said, leaning against the doorframe. Mello crossed his arms, glancing at him.

“You should wear the grey shirt and the black cardigan.” Matt suggested. Mello frowned.

“I don’t own a cardigan.”

“No, but I do. Here!” Matt walked over, digging through his side of the closet before unearthing an oversized cardigan, handing it to Mello.

“Oh...thanks.” Mello mumbled, setting it on the bed before grabbing his grey t-shirt. He put it on, slipping the cardigan on over it.

“Sorry. For...you know.” He said quietly.

“It’s cool.” Matt shrugged. “Listen, if you really don’t want to go, I totally understand. I know I’ve been asking a lot from you lately.”

“No, it’s fine. I just overreacted.” Mello said, shaking his head.

“Either way, the offer stands.” Matt said. He waited a beat. “So, bad night?”

“I’ve had better.” Mello muttered. Matt hummed.

“Do you want to tal-”

“No, I really don't.” Mello said, cutting him off. He knew he was being a dick, but he also knew that Matt most likely understood the reason he was upset. It was an unfortunate perk to having a genius best friend.

“Oookay, well then scoot over, I need to get dressed.” Matt said, nudging him aside. He dug around in the closet while Mello ducked to check his hair in their mirror on the wall.

“Here.” Matt said, before something hit Mello in the face. He grabbed it before it hit the floor. A beanie. Mello put it on, styling his bangs.

“Why are you dressing me tonight?” Mello asked grumpily.

“Because sometimes I get tired of seeing the exact same black on black on black outfit.” Matt said, changing into a long sleeved shirt.

Mello looked at his outfit before looking at Matt.

“You do realize that I'm wearing black, right?”

“Yes,” Matt sighed dramatically. “But at least you look a little stylish tonight, jeez.”

“Why does it matter? I'm only hanging out with you and what's his face.” Mello said, grabbing his phone off the bed.

“It was merely a suggestion, you don't have to listen to me.” Matt smirked at him. Mello rolled his eyes.

“So, where are we going tonight?” He asked, changing the subject.

“I think it got moved to a frat.” Matt said distractedly, messing with his hair in the mirror.

“Oh god.” Mello muttered. Matt glanced at him.

“It'll be fine, Mels.” He said, his patience starting to dwindle at Mello’s pouty attitude.

“Hmph.” Mello sat down on his bed, unlocking his phone.

“How about this. If you want to tell me what's up with you tonight, you don't have to go! I'll make an excuse to Near and it'll all be good!” Matt smiled innocently.

Mello scowled at him. He didn't really want to have yet another heart to heart about how ugly he felt nowadays.

“Fuck off.” He said, turning back to his phone.

Their front door knocked. Mello and Matt looked at each other before hearing Matsuda open the door, greeting whoever had arrived. Mello rolled his eyes, standing up to walk out to the living room. He could hear Near’s quiet voice, and he sighed to himself, dreading the evening ahead of him. As he rounded the corner and saw the two boys talking, he faltered in his step.

Near was standing there, listening to Matsuda boredly, and he didn’t...look terrible. Wait, what? He wore black skinny jeans, artfully distressed, with a slightly baggy white and blue ombre pullover. His hair looked kind of puffy, a little damp in some spots. Mello huffed and walked over, catching their attention.

“Hey.” He said shortly. Near gave him a brief once over, making Mello feel a little fidgety.

“Mello! You never introduced me to your boyfriend!” Matsuda said, smiling at the two of them. Mello shot a glare at Near. What the fuck did he say about them?! Near rolled his eyes.

“Obviously I recognized him from Facebook! You can’t keep this stuff from me, you know!” Matsuda said, poking Mello in the arm. Well fine, he supposed this one wasn’t completely Near’s fault.

“Oh, uh...yeah. Sorry. This is Near.” Mello said, gesturing to the other boy. Near waved awkwardly.

“It’s so nice to meet you! I’m Matsuda, Mello’s roommate! We’ve heard so much about you!” Matsuda said kindly. Mello stifled a laugh. Matsuda was way too friendly, and such a horrible liar.

“Is that so?” Near asked, smirking at Mello.

“Y-yeah!” Matsuda said, rubbing the back of his neck. Matt walked out of the bedroom then, greeting them.

“Hey guys! Holy shit Near, you look amazing!” Matt said in shock, looking Near over. Near’s eyes widened slightly and a small blush bloomed on his cheeks.

“Thanks.” He mumbled, reaching up to twirl a piece of his hair as he looked at his shoes. Mello brought out his phone, opening up a random app. This whole interaction was awkward as fuck. Plus, he was convinced that Near hadn’t dressed himself, so there was no reason to make a big deal about all of it. Even if he didn’t look as, uh, horrible as he usually did.

“Matsuda, you wanna come with us?” Mello asked, looking up from his phone. Matsuda’s shoulders slumped unhappily.

“I can’t. A is having another one of his breakdowns and I don’t really want to leave him…” He said, gesturing to their bedroom door helplessly. Mello perked up.

“Oh. Well hey, I mean, I could stay and help if you want. We’re roommates right? Like a little family! We need to take care of each other!” He said hopefully. Near coughed out a noise that sounded suspiciously like laughter.

“Oh gosh, no!” Matsuda shook his head quickly. “Go out and spend time with your boyfriend! We’ll be okay over here! Thanks so much though, Mello, your offer will really mean a lot to him.”

“Oh...well, are you sure?” Mello asked desperately.

“C’mon ABC Family, we’re going.” Matt said, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

“Have a good time, guys!” Matsuda said, waving as they walked out the door.

Mello stared at the closed door, defeated. He put his jacket on, sighing loudly, while Matt and Near began walking down the hallway.

~~~

20 minutes later, and they were in a crowded frat house, surrounded by obnoxious people. Matt flashed them a peace sign, announced that he was going to get a drink, and disappeared into the crowd.

“Well great, we lost Matt.” Mello said, taking off his jacket and setting it on the couch next to Near’s.

Near shrugged, looking a little overwhelmed.

“C’mon, let’s uh…” Mello looked around for a decent place to stand, one that wasn’t full of a million idiots. “Over there?”

“Sure.”

Mello wavered for a second before reaching down to grab Near’s hand, lacing it with his own. He pulled Near along, glancing at him quickly. Near looked unfazed, trying to weave throughout the crowd. They found a spot near the dining room, standing between a girl glued to her phone and a couple that was quietly arguing.

“Do you guys go to these things a lot?” Near asked, leaning against the wall.

“Unfortunately. Matt has a lot of douchey friends and a low tolerance for alcohol, so he usually asks me to make sure he doesn’t kill himself or get gonorreia.” Mello said, belatedly realizing he and Near were still holding hands. It felt kind of...nice. Not nice that it was with Near obviously, but just nice. Physical affection wasn’t as terrible as he had kept telling himself, he guessed. Well if Near hadn’t really noticed, then there wasn’t a problem with just staying like this, right?

“How fun for you.” Near deadpanned, using his other hand to touch his hair. Mello rolled his eyes. This guy had the most ridiculous habits.

“Whatever. It gets me out of the house, I guess.” He said, before glancing at Near again. “So, this is your first party, I’m assuming?”

“Yeah. I’m starting to see why I never wanted to go to one.” Near said disdainfully.

“Yep. They’re pretty terrible.” Mello said, wondering how he was going to make it through the night without wanting to strangle himself from boredom. He looked at Near again.

“So, who dressed you?” He asked, holding back a grin. Near rolled his eyes.

“A friend of mine found out I was going out tonight. She said I should look nice.” He said petulantly. “I feel ridiculous.”

“I’m sorry, did you say you had a _friend?_ ” Mello asked incredulously. Near looked at him, tilting his head.

“Uh...yes?”

“Wow. I’m honestly in shock.” Mello said sarcastically. Near elbowed him.

“Shut up. Of course I have friends, you...ass.” He said, letting out a huff.

“Nice comeback.” Mello rolled his eyes. He looked around, getting a little antsy. “Hey, are you thirsty or anything?”

“Mmm. I don’t drink.” Near said, tucking his hair behind his hear.

“Gee, what a surprise.” Mello said, smirking.

“If you want to drink, I don’t mind. I can make sure Matt doesn’t act like an idiot.” Near said, glancing at Mello.

“Nah, I don’t drink either.” Mello said easily. Near gave him a flat stare.

“Whatever. If you’re getting something, I’ll take some water.” He said, shrugging.

Mello rolled his eyes and finally let go of Near’s hand, making his way to the kitchen. He looked around, noticing an array of party cups unstacked and sat out. He narrowed his eyes at them, deciding to rummage through the cabinets. Someone came over, nudging his arm.

“Hey, you guys made it.” It was Light. Mello scowled, turning his attention back to the cupboard.

“So, how is the happy couple?” Light asked mildly, cocking his head over in Near’s direction.

“Amazing. I’ve found my other half. There’s even fireworks.” Mello said sarcastically. Light chuckled.

“Ah well, be careful. You know how tricky these things can be.” He winked at Mello, who raised his brows.

“Should you really be giving anyone advice, seeing as how you’ve been friendzoned by the only person you’ve ever liked?” Mello asked pleasantly.

“Excuse you, I’m not unhappy. L is just oblivious. He’ll come around.” Light smirked.

“I’ll be sure to testify against you once he presses charges for stalking and assault.” Mello kept his smile friendly.

“And I’ll be sure to be the first to say ‘I told you so’ when you and Near finally decide to get together. For real.” Light said cheerfully. Mello dropped his fake-friendly facade.

“Shut up, Light. You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He said, grabbing two mismatched plastic cups and filling them up with tap water. Light shrugged, turning around to glance back at Near.

“Just make sure no one gets to him first.” Light clapped a hand on Mello’s shoulder before grabbing a shot glass and filling it up with a random liquid. Mello watched in confusion as he downed it.

“What are you- ugh, forget it. Go find your _friend_ , you dipshit.” Mello growled, annoyed with the entire exchange. Light raised a brow before leaving. Once he was out of Mello’s field of vision, Mello noticed someone talking to Near. Not just talking, but literally trapping him in place against the wall with an arm, refusing to let him leave.

_What the fuck?_

Mello watched as Near knocked his arm aside, moving a couple feet down the wall, crossing his arms. The person turned to the side with a laugh, and Mello finally recognized him as Beyond.

Mello felt a spark of anger and stalked over to the two of them, holding the two cups of water carefully as he navigated the crowd. He was pissed. No, he was more than pissed. Beyond was going to ruin this whole stupid thing! Could he not keep it in his pants for five minutes? And why was he messing with Near? If he kept hitting on him, everyone would think he and Near weren’t legit, and then Matt wouldn’t be able to hook up with Linda. Mello couldn’t believe that he would do this to Matt!

Near saw him approaching and seemed to relax just a little.

“Mello.” He greeted him quietly, looking a little flustered.

“Ah, Mello! So good to see you!” Beyond said happily. Mello glared at him, giving Near his cup of water.

“Get out of here, B.” Mello growled. “You’re going to ruin everything.”

“I just wanted to catch up with Near. He’s looking so precious tonight, don’t you think?” Beyond smirked.

“Shut up, Beyond. Go fuck off to someone who actually wants to talk to you.” Near snapped. Mello recoiled slightly at the amount of venom in Near’s voice. Woah. Guess he didn’t need Mello here, after all. Mello grinned, looking back at Beyond.

“You heard him. See ya.” Mello waved.

Beyond winked at Near before slouching off. Before his brain could register what was happening, Mello felt his hand move down to grab a hold of Near’s, and he pulled him away from the dining room.

He found an empty spot on one of the staircase landings, and they sat down together, leaning against the railing.

“So, you were busy while I was gone.” Mello said, trying not to sound accusatory. He really shouldn’t still be so upset about what had happened. Near could obviously take care of himself, and he doubted many people had noticed the exchange. So why did he still feel the need to punch someone (someone with an annoying smirk and grabby hands) in the face?

“He’s a dick.” Near said, sipping his water.

“I never knew you used such colorful language.” Mello stifled a laugh. Near shrugged.

“It can be effective every once in awhile.” He said quietly. “Thanks for the water.”

“No problem. I’m pretty sure 99% of their other cups were being used for unsuspecting girls, rather than for drinking. I managed to find a couple of clean ones, anyways.” Mello said, shrugging.

“Oh Mello, I never knew you were such a romantic.” Near smirked.

“I guess I’m just full of surprises.” Mello said, smiling slightly. Near rolled his eyes, ruffling his hair and sweeping it to the side. Mello tilted his head, peering at him closely.

“Is that…”

Near looked confused, his eyes widening as Mello reached over to push his hair to the side. Mello only realized what he had done when he felt Near’s soft strands between his fingers and noticed the surprised look on his face. He cleared his throat, moving his hand to sweep his hair aside quickly.

“You have a sidecut?” He asked, trying to sound casual, like running your hands through your enemy/fake boyfriend’s hair was totally normal.

“Oh, um…y-yeah.” Near said, ruffling his hair back to normal, looking away from Mello.

“Since when?” Mello asked incredulously, pulling his hand back. He was definitely not dwelling on the feeling of Near’s hair between his fingers.

“Uh...hmm.” Near blew a piece of hair away from his eyes. “A month or two, I guess?”

“Really.” Mello said doubtfully. “I wouldn’t take you for a guy with...a hairstyle, I guess.”

“A friend of mine insisted I try it.” Near shrugged.

“Oh. It’s...yeah, I mean, it looks good.” Mello coughed, looking out at the party. He took a sip of his water, his mouth feeling a little dry.

“Thanks.” Near said quietly.

Silence stretched between them, leaving Mello feeling more than a little awkward. He kept replaying the scene in his mind, wondering why he had done something so stupid. Near probably thought he was insane.

Wait a minute.

Who cares what Near thought? This was _Near_ he was talking about! He hated Near! He couldn’t stand his lack of personality, his annoying self righteousness, his little smirks, his soft voice, his rare smiles, his surprising backbone, his fluffy hair, his…

Ugh. He was getting off track. He hated Near.

Mello sighed, watching the party going on. He could see Light ruffling L’s hair in the living room, Matt recounting some story to Linda, gesturing wildly. Mello noticed Sayu, Light’s little sister, sitting on the back of the couch, showing Beyond how to make smoke rings as Misa watched in wonder. He scowled. Stupid Beyond.

“Near!”

Mello looked up, noticing a pretty blonde girl who looked to be a couple years older than him, addressing Near with a smile.

“Hey Halle.” Near said, smiling vaguely as she sat down with them.

“Kiyomi said you were going to be here, you look great!” She said, her gaze moving over to Mello, eyes widening slightly as she took in his scar. Mello resisted the urge to roll his eyes, instead glancing at Near. “Who’s your friend?” She asked.

Near’s eyes narrowed fractionally. Mello raised a brow, then felt his heart pound when Near reached over to grip his hand. Oh. This was the first time Near had initiated any physical contact between them since their arrangement started. This was fine. Yep, not weird at all.

“This is my boyfriend, Mello.” He said, running his thumb over the top of Mello’s hand. Mello felt his face flush. Near almost sounded...defensive? Protective? No, that couldn’t be right. Why was his heart still beating so fast?

“Oh my god!” Halle’s face lit up with happiness. “It’s so nice to meet you, Mello!”

Mello accepted her extended hand, shaking it warily.

“Nice to meet you...Halle, right?”

“Yes! Near and I work together. He’s so talented!” She said kindly, smiling at Near. “How did you guys meet?”

“Um…” Near faltered.

“We have some classes together, but I met him properly through a friend of mine. He’s pretty great.” Mello said, squeezing Near’s hand lightly. Near turned to look at him, his face unreadable. Mello tried giving him a fake smile, keeping up the charade. It came out a little more genuine than he had intended.

“Wow.” Halle said quietly, smiling. Her phone chimed. “Ah crap! My friend is looking for me. Near, you’re coming in tomorrow right?”

“Yes.”

“Cool! You better give me all the details about this cutie! I’ll see you then!” Halle stood up, waving goodbye.

Mello waved, his heart refusing to slow down. He didn’t really know what was happening with him tonight. He struggled to find a more comfortable topic, a little put off by the weird vibe.

“Is she the one who cut your hair?” Mello asked, trying to sound casual and witty. He’s pretty sure he ended up sounding more awkward and desperate than anything else.

“Mhm.” Near hummed as he watched the crowd, reaching with his other hand to touch his hair. Right. Mello glanced down. They were still holding hands. Should he move his hand? Was Near uncomfortable? Wait. Was he uncomfortable? Why wasn’t he uncomfortable? Should he be?

“W-where do you work?” Mello asked, feeling like he was drowning. Why was he still holding Near’s hand? Oh my god, why did he just now decide to tighten his hold on Near’s hand? Was this invasion of the body snatchers? Did someone take over his physical form and leave his brain behind, only to-

“At a dance studio.” Near said, glancing at Mello.

 _Uh. What?_ All of Mello’s discomfort vanished the moment he heard Near speak.

Suddenly, he couldn’t stop laughing.

“Dance studio? You’re serious?” Mello asked, clutching his stomach with his free hand. The image of Near doing ballet in a ridiculous leotard was burning its way into his mind. He couldn’t believe that Near, Near of all people, was a dancer. This was pure gold.

“Please stop…” Near said, trying to hold back a grin. He giggled a little before clearing his throat, smiling.

“So, do you prance through the air with the greatest of ease?” Mello smirked, trying to control his laughter.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.” Near said haughtily before breaking down into laughter again.

“Oh my god, this is amazing. Will you show me how to do a pirouette?” Mello joked.

“Why start there? Let's go right for the death drop, or hey! The splits!” Near said sarcastically. Mello laughed out loud.

“Seriously? The splits? I'll believe it when I see it.” He said, shaking his head.

“It’s not that difficult, actually.” Near shrugged, his eyes bright.

“Yeah, unless you're a freaking pretzel or something.” Mello rolled his eyes.

Near smirked, raising a brow.

Mello felt his mouth fall open in shock for a brief second before he regained his composure. _Oh. Near. Pretzel. This is fine._

He laughed instead, trying to keep his thoughts clean and sin-free.

The next hour flew by surprisingly fast. Mello and Near people watched, discussed dancing and ended up debating whether or not Snape was actually a good guy or a total fuckboy.

If he was being honest, it was the most fun Mello had had in awhile. Even when he and Near were arguing, both bordering on complete frustration, it was fun. Mello could tell how exasperated Near got by how hard he would squeeze his hand. His expression was totally done, his words were cold, but his hand was warm and stable and refused to unwind itself from Mello’s.

He wondered if it was even necessary for them to be holding hands right now. No one could really see them. Was this weird?

“Oh my god, there you guys are!”

Mello and Near turned toward the source of the sound only to see Matt stumbling up the stairs, slumping down next to them.

“This party is a bust. Can we go home?” He asked, slurring his words.

Near looked at Mello, and they both shrugged.

“You don't need to ask me twice, bro. Let's goooo!” Mello said, smiling wide. He let go of Near's hand, standing up. He held his hand out for Near’s cup, their fingers brushing together when Near handed it to him. Near’s eyes widened, and he dropped his hand immediately.

“I'll, um, be right back.” Mello stuttered, going down the stairs.

“Near, hold my hand!” Matt said loudly. Mello paused his step for a half a second before continuing on his way.

It was fine. This was all fine.

~~~

“I'm a likeable person, right? People love me!” Matt complained as the three of them walked down the street.

“Please put on your jacket, it's freezing.” Near said, his teeth chattering.

“I don't need it!” Matt said loudly. Mello rolled his eyes.

“But really, you guys…” Matt stopped and looked at them seriously. “Everyone likes me! Right?”

“Y-yeah…”

“Sure.”

Mello and Near mumbled at the same time, Mello gesturing for them to keep moving.

“The whole time, Linda only wanted to console me because you and Near were together! _Like I give a fuck!_ ” Matt half-shouted, pumping his fist into the air. Mello sighed, his breath coming out in a puff of air.

“And, thank god you guys were here, because when I went to show her how cute you were, you were laughing and like, smiling! Linda even said she’d never seen either of you smile! You guys were my saving grace tonight!” Matt rambled, tackling Near with a hug.

“Oof, Matt…” Near patted him awkwardly on the back.

“Thanks for taking care of Mello, he really deserves it…” Matt said sweetly.

Mello felt his stomach twist, and he glanced over at the two of them. Near locked eyes with Mello, his face unreadable. Mello tried easing the tension, smiling at Near and rolling his eyes. The corners of Near’s mouth lifted, looking all too sincere, and Mello’s heart almost stopped.

God, what was wrong with him tonight?

“Near, you're too light. Mello, will you carry me?” Matt grumbled.

“Fuck no.” Mello said.

“Please Mel?” Matt finally let go of Near, stumbling over to attach himself to Mello.

“No!” Mello yelled, trying to push Matt off.

“Just a piggy back ride! You're so strong! Have you _seen_ your thighs?!” Matt said loudly.

“Gee, I wonder why Linda thinks you guys are dating…” Near muttered, stifling a laugh.

“Ugh, can you please stop yelling about my thighs?” Mello complained. He glanced at Near, whose face was a little pink. He wondered if his jacket was really thin, if the cold weather was affecting him this much. He pushed Matt off of him and grabbed the jacket he refused to wear. Matt ran in front of them, doing a cartwheel.

“Here.” Mello mumbled, handing the jacket to Near. Near’s brows knitted together in confusion.

“Just take it, you’re freezing.” Mello rolled his eyes. Near took the jacket hesitantly, putting it on over his.

“Thanks.” He said quietly.

“So, how was your first party?” Mello asked as Matt turned to face them and began moonwalking.

“Relatively painless. I only got groped once, and I didn’t even get roofied. I’d say that’s a win.” Near said mildly.

“Wait, what?” Mello grabbed his arm, stopping him. Near turned to him, looking a little shocked.

“What?” Near asked, raising his brows. Matt started beatboxing a few feet away, flailing and jumping.

“Who, uh...um…” Mello suddenly wasn’t sure how to phrase it. Or why he’d gotten upset at all. What did he care? He let go of Near’s arm as if he’d been electrocuted.

“It was just Beyond. It’s fine.” Near shrugged, reaching up to touch his hair.

Mello stayed silent. Oh. It was fine? That’s...great then. He guessed that it was possible for Near to actually have a thing for B. Which was great! Well, other than the fact that it was B. He was a total douche. But Near was actually turning out to be pretty cool (not that he’d ever admit that out loud), so either way he guessed he deserved to have someone he liked.

“When you were taking the cups back to the kitchen, and Matt was saying goodbye to Sayu, he came up and grabbed my ass. I slapped him and then kicked him in the balls. It’s too bad you missed it, actually.” Near said thoughtfully.

“O-oh.” Mello mumbled.

Near nodded awkwardly, avoiding Mello’s gaze.

“So, guess he’s not really your type then, huh?” Mello joked, trying to alleviate the strange atmosphere he created.

Near hummed.

“I’m not really into creeps.” He said disdainfully. Mello laughed, causing Near to stare at him, confused.

“Too bad you’re dating me then.” Mello said, smirking.

“Ah well, I guess you’re the exception.” Near said quietly, smiling at Mello.

Mello opened his mouth to respond, but the words died in his throat. Was he...no way. Near couldn't be flirting with him...right? Did he want Near to flirt with him? No, Near was probably just joking around. Right? He mentally shook himself, wondering why everything was affecting him so much tonight.

 _“Pizza!”_ Matt shrieked, jumping on Mello’s back, causing the both of them to fall onto the street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yikes sorry for any ooc. it happens. but i hope you liked it anyways!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have absolutely no excuse for this ridiculous chapter

Mello woke up the next morning, feeling a little worse for wear. After Near had parted ways with him and Matt, Mello found that he was unable to get to sleep for quite some time. Everytime he closed his eyes, all he could think of was Near’s hair and his annoyed face, his laugh and the feeling of his hand in Mello’s.

It bothered Mello. He didn’t want to think about Near this much. He didn’t like him. Okay, sure, he was an alright guy. He could admit that. And yeah, okay, Mello could objectively say that Near wasn’t unattractive. Not only that, but he was also intelligent and he wasn’t afraid to piss Mello off. Then, somehow, he was funny? How did this happen? Mello had been convinced that he was devoid of humor, that his only joy came from one-upping Mello.

Things felt different. And he didn’t know what he should do. Could things really change this much in only a few days? He knew that Near wasn’t wasting his time thinking about his and Mello’s interactions. Near was completely unaffected by this whole thing.

Mello rolled over, stretching his back. He was pretty sure he knew what the problem was.

He hasn’t been with anyone, in more than a platonic fashion, in years. The last time he’d held hands with someone, he was still in high school for god’s sake. He’d had occasional attractions in the years since, sure. But nothing more than that. And now, suddenly, there was someone to sit with and talk to and touch affectionately. It just so happened to be Near. It could’ve been anyone, and he’d be feeling this way, he was sure of it. He could only blame the situation they were in, this whole ‘boyfriends’ thing, it was just messing with his head, blurring the lines.

It wasn’t real. It really wasn’t. Near didn’t see him like that. Mello knew that this weird feeling would go away soon, once he remembered how shitty Near actually was.

Did he want it to go away, though?

Mello sighed in frustration, rubbing his hands over his face. He didn’t want to answer that question. He didn’t want to keep thinking about this. Instead, he got up and put on a shirt, making his way out to the living room.

Matt and Matsuda were playing one of the Halo games, Matt yelling excitedly over Matsuda’s confused yelps. Mello walked into the kitchen, pouring himself a cup of coffee and grabbing a chocolate bar from the freezer. He tied his hair up into a ponytail before taking a bite, followed by a sip of coffee.

“Good morning!” Matsuda said brightly.

“Finally decided to wake up, huh? Rough night?” Matt asked, smirking. Mello tilted his head in confusion.

“Uh, no?”

“Mmm well my mistake then!” Matt said airily.

Mello rolled his eyes, taking another bite of chocolate. Matt was one of those piece of shits that never got hangovers, making him annoyingly perky the day after drinking.

“Matsuda, you should’ve come out with us, it was a blast!” Matt said, smiling at Mello.

“You said it was a _bust_ , dumbass.” Mello said, crossing his arms and leaning against the kitchen counter.

“Well looking back, it was actually really amazing!” Matt sighed happily. “Near literally _bitchslapped_ Beyond, and it was fucking beautiful.”

Mello laughed to himself.

“Yeah, I heard. I wish I could’ve seen it.” He said, smiling.

“It was really awesome.” Matt said wistfully.

“How did things go with you and Linda?” Matsuda asked.

“Well, after she realized I was not heartbroken over Mels and Near, we talked for awhile. And then her friend got completely wasted and she had to leave and take her home.” Matt said, sighing.

“She sounds really nice!” Matsuda said.

“She really is! She’s such a good listener, and she’s so sweet and funny!” Matt smiled, blushing.

“Awww!” Matsuda cooed.

Mello smiled, trying not to laugh. He’d worked with Linda on a couple projects last year; she was really cool. Matt seemed smitten, and it was kind of hilarious. Mello unlocked his phone, looking at the time.

“What the fuck, it’s 1pm?!” Mello asked the room, shocked. “Why didn’t anyone wake me?!”

“It’s a Sunday bro. You’re allowed to sleep in, even if you did nothing but drink water and flirt all night.” Matt said, smiling knowingly at Mello. Mello flushed.

“What’re you- we didn’t- th-” Mello stuttered. Matt laughed.

“So Mello, did you have a good time?” Matsuda asked, trying to change the subject. Not helping Matsuda… Mello thought grumpily.

“Uh, yeah...it was alright I guess.” He mumbled, focusing on his phone.

“Aw, I’m so glad! I knew you’d have fun!” Matsuda smiled. Mello nodded, unsure of what to say.

“Yeah, so um- I’m gonna go take a shower.” He said instead, draining the rest of his coffee and heading to the bathroom.

~~~

An hour later, Mello was showered and dressed, running his fingers through his damp hair. His shower had done nothing to help ease his worries, instead letting his thoughts circle around and around, frustrating him to no end.

He went into the kitchen, grabbing a chocolate bar. Matt and Matsuda were still lounging on the couch, watching some tv show instead of playing games. Mello sat next to them, taking a bite.

“I’m bored.” Matt complained.

“Me too…” Matsuda mumbled.

“I’m sure you both have studying you could do.” Mello suggested. The two both looked at him in horror.

“It’s _Sunday_ , Mello! That’s sacrilege!” Matt said, pressing a hand to his heart. Mello shook his head.

“Whatever.”

“Anyways…” Matt continued. “Should we have a movie night?”

“Oooh! Yes!” Matsuda agreed. “I bet A would even join us!”

“Fuck yeah! Let’s make a thing of it! I’ll ask around, see who wants to come over.” Matt said, taking out his phone.

“Sounds fun.” Mello shrugged, opening up his messages. He hesitated for a minute before creating a new message.

To: Near  
From: Mello  
what are you doing tonight?

He was about to put his phone away, remembering something about Near having work today, when it vibrated in his hand.

To: Mello  
From: Near  
Work until 5. Then probably some studying.

To: Near  
From: Mello  
oh cool. well we’re having a movie night tonight if you want to come over.

Mello wondered if he’d say yes. His heart was beating a little faster than he cared to admit.

To: Mello  
From: Near  
What time?

Mello let out a small breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

To: Near  
From: Mello  
i’m not really sure actually…

Mello looked up, opening his mouth to speak, when-

“Does 7 work for everyone?” Matt asked, frowning in concentration at his phone. “Matsuda, can you ask A if 7 is alright?”

“Yeah!” Matsuda got up and walked to his and A’s room.

Mello looked at his phone, which showed a new text already.

To: Mello  
From: Near  
Okay. Let me know when you find out, then.

To: Near  
From: Mello  
7?

To: Mello  
From: Near  
Okay. I’ll see you at 7.

Mello sighed, resisting the urge to smile. He didn’t have the energy to read too far into his actions this time. It was what it was. Hopefully Near would just assume that Matt had asked him to send the text.

“Oh, hey Mello!” Matt said suddenly. Mello looked up, acknowledging his exclamation.

“I’m going to invite Linda! Do you want to invite Near, too?” He asked.

“Oh, uh, yeah...I’ll see if he wants to go.” Mello swallowed, clutching his phone.

“Awesome!” Matt smiled.

Mello ran a hand through his hair, grabbing his chocolate bar again.

~~~

Mello pulled on a plain black t-shirt and pulled his hair back into a ponytail, ruffling his bangs as he stared at his reflection. It was a few minutes to 7, and his stomach kept flipping over.

“Did you ever hear from Near? He didn't respond to the group text I sent out…” Matt asked as he walked into the bedroom.

“Yeah, I ended up texting him. He said he’d be here.” Mello said.

“Cool.” Matt nodded, looking in the mirror as well, fixing his hair.

“Who all is coming anyways?” Mello asked, walking out and going into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

“Linda and Sayu for sure.” Matt called out. “Oh, and Stephen. Raye said he would maybe show up. I kinda hope he bags out though, he’s a bit of a buzzkill.”

Mello walked back into the bedroom, brushing his teeth and nodding.

“It might be a little close quarters. Hope you’re okay with that.” Matt said, winking.

Mello rolled his eyes and went back to the bathroom, spitting in the sink. He looked in the mirror again, playing with his bangs. He was just beginning to reconsider his hair when a knock sounded at the door.

“Can you get that? I’m changing!” Matt yelled, slamming the bedroom door shut.

“Fine.” Mello said, walking out to the living room and opening the door.

Near was standing in the doorway, out of breath. His white hair was a little damp in some spots, drying puffy in others. Unlike yesterday, it was now swept aside to reveal his sidecut.

“Am I late?” Near asked, still panting. “I’m sorry. Work ran late and then I took a nap and-”

“Relax. You’re early.” Mello said, fighting a smile.

“Oh.” Near said, letting his breathing slow down. “Good. It’s good to be punctual.”

Mello let out a small laugh, eyeing Near’s hairstyle.

“Nice hair.” He said, stepping aside to let him in. He closed the door, leaning against it.

Near’s cheeks reddened, and he automatically reached up to push his hair back to normal.

“S-shut up.” He said, looking away. Mello frowned.

“No, it’s…” Before he could stop himself, he reached out to sweep it over again, letting his fingers stroke along the shaved section. “It’s nice.”

Near stared at him, his flush deepening. Mello wondered why he hadn’t removed his hand yet. Near’s hair just felt really...soft. A little wet, but soft. This was bad.

“I like your hair, too.” Near said quietly, his voice almost dropping to a whisper. Mello’s quick heartbeat picked up even more speed as Near lifted his hand to touch his bangs.

“Oh. Thanks…” Mello murmured, feeling overwhelmed by Near’s compliment and the feeling of his fingers weaving into his hair. “You- you look- um…”

The bedroom door opened, and they dropped their hands immediately. Near took a slight step back.

“Hey, Near!” Matt said, bounding over to greet him. “Wow, you look great! I love your hair!”

Mello watched as Matt reached out to ruffle Near’s hair, then laughing at his annoyed expression. He was right though; Near did look...alright tonight. He wished he could’ve actually vocalized it. Mello gave him a once over; he was wearing black leggings and an oversized black and white knitted sweater. It looked nice.

Near batted Matt’s hand away, stepping back to slip off his shoes and dropping his jacket. Mello stuffed his hands into his pockets, feeling a little out of his element.

“Wait...is that what you’re wearing tonight?” Matt asked, tilting his head as he considered Mello. Mello scowled at him.

“Is there a problem?” He asked irritably.

“No, not really! Just…”

“He looks fine.” Near said quietly, walking past them into the kitchen. Mello felt his face flush, and Matt turned back to him with a wide smile.

“Well, nevermind then.” He said to Mello, who crossed his arms, feeling a little awkward. Near poked his head into the living room.

“Can I make coffee?” He asked. Mello shrugged and nodded.

“Yeah sure!” Matt smiled before turning to Mello. “Hey, did Raye text you? He never got back to me…”

Mello frowned, reaching for his phone, when he realized he’d left it back in his room. He went looking for it, finding one message, but not from Raye.

To: Mello  
From: Light  
How much longer until I can say, ‘I told you so?’ Have fun at your movie night ;)

Mello scowled, ignoring the text. Light was such an annoying busybody, he couldn’t understand why anyone wanted him around. And as per usual, he had no idea what he was talking about.

When he came back from the bedroom, he found Matsuda sitting on the couch with Near, while Matt was opening the door to let Linda, Sayu, and Stephen in.

“Hi Mello!” Linda and Sayu said in unison, while Stephen smiled and waved.

“Hey, guys.” He said, going over to sit on the couch with Matsuda and Near.

“Ahh, I’m sorry Mello!” Matsuda said quickly. Mello frowned at him, confused, as Matsuda stood up.

“Wha-”

“Sit by Near! I’ll trade you!” Matsuda said kindly.

“Oh, it’s not a big deal…” Mello said, feeling his cheeks heat up. Near was playing with his hair, glancing at the two of them.

“Nonsense!” Matsuda said, nudging Mello aside to sit next to him instead. Matt lead Stephen, Linda, and Sayu to the kitchen, talking about the party last night. Matsuda stood up to go into his room, presumably to see if A wanted to join them.

“What movies are we watching?” Near asked, turning to Mello.

Mello watched him play with his hair, feeling an intense urge to hold his hand. He felt like such an idiot. All of his pep talks from earlier were failing miserably now that Near was right in front of him, speaking softly and playing with his stupid fluffy hair with those warm, smooth fingers.

He didn’t like Near, he didn’t like Near, he did not like Near.

Wait.

What did he say? Oh god, was Mello staring at him?

“Um...I’m sorry, what?” Mello asked shakily.

Near blinked, his lips turning down. Mello wanted to punch him. No, he wanted to punch himself. What was happening to him?!

“You’re nervous.” Near said quietly, looking away from him. Mello felt his stomach drop.

“What? No, I’m fi-”

“It’s okay. I am too.” Near said, glancing at him. Mello stared at him.

“W-why?” He asked lowly.

Near looked at him again.

“I don’t know.” He said, frowning to himself.

Near looked down, releasing the hold on his hair before slowly, hesitantly, placing his hand on top of Mello’s. Mello let out a breath, some of the tension leaving his shoulders as he turned his hand over, lacing his fingers through Near’s. He noticed that Near had relaxed slightly as well.

“This…” Near murmured, looking at their hands. “This is nice.”

He looked up at Mello, blushing. Mello nodded.

“Yeah.” He breathed. “It is.”

Near smiled slightly, looking a little relieved. Mello let out a breath of air, his heart beating out of his chest.

“Um, so...what did you ask again?” Mello asked, tucking a piece of hair behind his ear.

Near tried and failed miserably to hold back a grin.

“I asked which movies we were going to watch.” He said, letting out a laugh.

“O-oh. Uh...I’m not sure. Matt had a few ideas. We might play some games, too.” Mello shrugged.

Near nodded, looking mildly interested.

“Near, do you still want coffee?” Matt poked his head into the living room, his lips forming a smirk when he saw their joined hands.

“Yeah, but I can get it.” Near said, loosening his hold on Mello.

“No!” Matt said quickly, startling Near. Mello rolled his eyes. “I’ll get it! Mel, you want anything?”

“Uh, I’ll take a chocolate bar.” Mello said.

Linda, Sayu, and Stephen walked back into the living room then, Sayu sitting next to Mello while Stephen sat in the chair and Linda took a seat on the ground. Matsuda came out of the bedroom with their other roommate, A. The two of them sat together on the ground as well.

“Hey, A.” Mello said. A waved, smiling. “Do you know everyone?”

“Um..” A mumbled, looking a little unsure.

“This is Near, and there’s Sayu, Stephen, and Linda.” Mello gestured to everyone. A smiled.

“Nice to meet you.” He said, looking just a little anxious.

Everyone said hello, and Matt walked out of the kitchen then. He threw a chocolate bar at Mello, hitting him in the face. Mello flipped him off before letting go of Near’s hand and unwrapping it. Matt handed Near his cup of coffee. Near smiled, mumbling thanks, before yawning.

“Are you sleepy, Near?” Linda asked.

“I’m alright. It was just a crazy day at work.” He said, taking a sip.

“What happened?” Sayu asked, looking worried.

“Well we had drills for half of the day, and then I spent the rest of it teaching choreography. Whenever I’m the one teaching, I get worn out a lot quicker.” Near said before taking another drink.

“Choreography?” Linda asked.

“You dance?!” Matsuda asked excitedly.

Near nodded, tilting the cup, finishing his coffee.

“What do you dance?” Stephen asked.

“Hip hop.” Near said, setting his mug aside.

“Wow! That’s so cool!” Sayu said excitedly.

“Awesome!” Linda said.

“Wait, what?!” Mello exclaimed. Near turned to him, frowning.

“What?” He asked, reaching up to twirl his hair.

“Hip hop? You’re serious?” Mello asked in disbelief.

“Yeah?” Near’s frown deepened.

“Since when?” Mello demanded. Sayu and Matt giggled.

“Um, well...a few years I guess?” Near said, shrugging.

Hip hop. Near. Near and hip hop. Mello failed to understand how those two things correlated.

“That’s seriously amazing.” Linda said, smiling. “Will you-”

“No.” Near cut her off, fixing her with a flat look.

“Hey! You didn’t even know what I was going to say!” Linda complained with a laugh.

“Okay...fine.” Near gestured for her to continue.

“Will you dance for us?!” She asked, smiling wide.

 _“No.”_ Near said, narrowing his eyes. Stephen and Matsuda laughed.

“I-I’m sorry, hold on, but I thought you danced ballet!” Mello insisted. Near smirked.

“I know.” He said, stifling a laugh.

“You’re a little shit.” Mello scowled at him. Near rolled his eyes.

“In my defense, I wasn’t technically lying. Hip hop is my favorite, but I know a lot of different styles. Ballet, hip hop, contemporary, interpretive, pole dancing, ballroom, some breakdancing-”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Wait, what?!”

“Can you repeat that?”

Linda, Sayu, and Matt all spoke at once, cutting Near off. Mello turned to look at him so quickly, his neck popped. _Oh my god. Oh. My. God._

“Did you say pole dancing?” Stephen asked incredulously. Near tilted his head, frowning.

“Oh, yeah my friend Halle decided to teach a class at the studio, and since I’m one of the more flexible people who works there, some of my coworkers encouraged me to try it out. I actually ended up helping her teach the class for a few weeks.” Near said, shrugging.

 _Oh my god. Most flexible. Pole dancing. Oh my god._ Mello didn’t think he would survive this evening. Wait, probably not even the next few minutes. Mello turned to stare at the carpet in the hopes that his mind wouldn’t end up in an incredibly inappropriate place. If he couldn’t see Near, then he couldn’t think about him wrapping himself around a pole. Right? _Oh my god. Think of something else. Dead cats. Dead bodies. Dead something._

“What?” Near asked the silent room, reaching up to twirl his hair again.

“Yeah, that sound you’re hearing is everyone trying to think of something to shrink their boners.” Matt said, sighing loudly.

Mello almost laughed, and risked a glance at Near, whose eyes were wide.

“Oh no, you misunderstand. I mean yeah, I was pole dancing, but it’s not really anything compared to when Halle would do it. She’s more...well, you know. Crowd pleasing.” Near said, shrugging.

“I think you’re misunderstanding, Near.” Linda said, giggling. When Near looked confused, she continued. “You can’t see yourself properly, but the idea of you pole dancing is incredibly, uh, _crowd pleasing_.”

“Um…” Near blushed. “I guess I just don’t really see the appeal.”

“Well think about it this way, what if someone you thought of as attractive was pole dancing?” Stephen said.

“Yeah, like Mello!” Sayu chirped.

Wait, what?! Mello felt like he might combust from pure embarrassment. This was absolutely ridiculous. What had he done to deserve such a terrible turn in conversation? He glanced at Near.

Near’s face was flushed and his eyes looked slightly unfocused.

“Oh.” He murmured. “Yeah, I see what you mean.”

Um, okay...weird. Near was putting on quite a show for everyone today. He almost looked convincing. Mello rolled his eyes.

“Hey, who wants to play Mario Kart?!” Matt asked suddenly. Everyone agreed excitedly, half of the room announcing they were going to play first and Stephen suggesting they turn it into a drinking game.

“Whoever loses a match takes a shot.” He smirked.

“Awesome! Matsuda, do we have any alcohol left?” Matt asked.

“I think we have half a bottle of something…” Matsuda frowned.

“I have some rum and vodka in my room. My building is only a little ways down the street.” Stephen shrugged.

“Ooh! I’ll go with you, I was gonna go out and smoke anyways!” Sayu said, standing up.

“Me too, mind if I walk over with you guys?” Matt said, patting his pockets as he stood up as well, holding a hand out to Linda.

“I’ll come with!” Linda said, smiling as she accepted Matt’s hand.

They grabbed their coats, and less than twenty seconds later they were out the door, leaving the room in silence. Matsuda and A looked a little shell shocked.

“Wait, how’d we just lose like, half the group?” Mello asked incredulously.

“Kids these days, I tell you.” Near muttered, twirling his hair. Mello laughed quietly, running a hand over his face.

“The night hasn’t even started yet and it’s already veering out of control.” Mello sighed, turning to Near. “Sorry.”

“Why?” Near asked, frowning.

“I don’t know. There’s no movies?” Mello shrugged.

“I don’t care. I’m having fun.” Near smiled slightly, moving his hand to let it rest on the couch between them, palm facing up. Mello’s eyes flickered down, his heart wildly picking up speed. He ignored his mind screaming at him to _think think, think about what you’re doing_ , and reached over to lace his fingers in between Near’s.

He looked back up, meeting Near’s gaze. Near still had that vague hint of a smile on his face, and his cheeks were a little flushed. It actually looked a little...genuine. Was that possible? Did Mello even want this to be genuine? The thought of Near faking literally everything hit Mello like a punch to the stomach, so that at least partly answered the question.

What did Mello want? Did he like Near? Had he gone temporarily insane? Did he actually like Near, or was this all just a result of the newfound intimacy with another person? Okay, yeah, he liked holding his hand. But maybe that just meant he liked holding hands in general! Mello also really liked how soft Near’s hair was, but everyone likes soft hair. That’s nothing new. Lately, the sight of him has made his heart race a little more, but...alright he didn’t have an excuse for that one.

He hated Near. Right?

“I need coffee.” A said, sighing as he stood up. Matsuda nodded, quietly asking for some as well.

Oh. Right. They weren’t alone here. Near’s actions suddenly made so much more sense. Of course he didn’t like Mello! Jeez, what the fuck had he been thinking? Mello looked over at Near. He was staring off stoically, twirling his hair with his free hand. Mello felt his stomach twist. Why had he been such an idiot? Of course this all looked genuine, it was supposed to. Near wasn’t stupid, he knew how to manipulate a crowd.

Suddenly he felt a little too warm and overwhelmed. His thoughts were flying a mile a minute, and he needed to breathe, he couldn’t breathe.

“I’ll be right back.” Mello mumbled, getting up from the couch. He made it to his bedroom, shutting the door, and sat down on his bed. He put his head in his hands, trying to get some air into his lungs. He laid back onto the bed, closing his eyes, taking deep breaths.

_Everything is okay. It’s okay. Everything is fine. You’re fine. Everything is okay._

When he had seen a therapist, they mentioned affirmations. He thought it was really dumb at first, but it had become a strange ritual anytime he got upset. He knew that it wouldn’t really happen just because he had put energy into a random thought, but he felt that if he could repeat it to himself enough, then he could almost pretend it would come true.

There was a knock at the door. Mello wondered if Matt and them had come back. He sighed, not ready to go back out there.

“I’ll be right there.” He said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. The door opened, and Mello looked up, blinking away his blurry vision.

“Hey.” It was Near. He closed the door before sitting next to Mello, giving him some space.

“Sorry, I uh...forgot something. In here.” Mello said, reaching under his pillow to grab a bar of chocolate. “Ah, I- um, found it.”

Near bit his lip, a small sound of laughter escaping him.

“Yeah, uh...let’s go back. Sorry.” Mello said, starting to get up. Near placed a hand on his arm, stopping him. Mello’s heart beat out of rhythm, and he was starting to really get pissed at his body for getting worked up over the smallest things.

“Why don’t you stay here? I’ll go back. I just wanted to make sure you were alright.” Near said, taking his hand back.

Mello met his gaze, and saw that Near was frowning slightly. He almost looked a little concerned. Mello was annoyed with himself. He was annoyed that Near wasn’t being annoying. Mello knew how to deal with an annoying Near. He didn’t know how to deal with a concerned and affectionate Near.

“Yooo!” Matt called out from the living room. “We have treats!”

Mello rolled his eyes.

“Let’s go back. Everything’s alright.” He said easily, hoping it sounded convincing.

Judging by Near’s raised brow, he wasn’t all that believable.

“Okay.” Near shrugged, standing up. He held out his hand to Mello. Mello took it, smiling involuntarily.

Near kept a hold on his hand, lacing their fingers together as they walked out into the living room again.

~~~

Two hours later, everyone (save for Near, Mello, and Sayu) was drunk off their asses, most of them yelling at Stephen for coming up with such a cruel drinking game.

Linda was sitting in Matt’s lap, both of them holding a controller, while Stephen, Matsuda, and A were yelling about a professor they all had together. Sayu was smoking next to an open window, coughing occasionally. This was typical for most of their movie nights, everyone just got wasted while Mello struggled to keep up with the ever-changing plans and conversation.

Tonight was a little different, though.

“Okay, please stop, you’re making me stupider by the second.” Mello said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Ugh, you’re so overdramatic.” Near huffed. “There are so many great points to having a healthy diet and not inhaling chocolate all day long.”

“Well then please enlighten me, oh wise one, because so far all you’re doing is spewing out complete nonsense.” Mello said rolling his eyes.

“Excuse you, I’ve given you plenty of well thought out arguments, you’re just too narrow minded and stubborn to listen to them, as per usual.” Near scoffed.

Sayu and Stephen gasped.

“I am not! You just have shitty things to say, _as per usual!_ ” Mello exclaimed, squeezing Near’s hand.

“Y-you guys…” Matsuda mumbled. “Maybe you should cool it, yeah?”

“Please. Your points are based solely on your emotions at the moment, never on any actual solid evidence.” Near huffed, running his thumb over the top of Mello’s hand.

“What?!” Mello growled, as Near just smirked at him.

“Hey now, just calm down you guys!” Linda slurred, pointing at them sternly.

“Aw, don’t mind them. They’ll kiss and make up soon!” Matt said, winking obnoxiously at them.

“Do you want to end up with diabetes and low cholesterol?” Near asked Mello irritably.

“No, what I want is for you to shut up and find a better side that doesn’t make you sound like an over the top anti-vaxxer.” Mello glared at him.

“Well actually, vaccinations aren’t exactly-”

 _“What?! Are you fucking kidding me?!”_ Mello half shrieked. Near let out a laugh, covering his mouth with his free hand.

“Of course I am, idiot.” Near giggled.

“Ugh, I hate you.” Mello muttered, narrowing his eyes at Near.

“No you don’t.” Near said, laughing again. Mello flushed, and he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.

“See, there’s the happy couple.” Matt laughed. Near rolled his eyes, squeezing Mello’s hand.

Maybe he was right. Maybe he didn’t hate Near as much as he’d thought.

~~~

A couple hours later, Stephen was passed out on the floor, A and Matsuda were laughing in their bedroom, while Matt and Linda had escaped to his and Mello’s room. Sayu had left an hour ago, and Near was slipping his shoes back on.

“Do you want to stay in my room tonight? It looks like your room is a little, um, crowded.” Near asked.

“Nah, I can just sleep on the couch. Thanks, though.” Mello said, clearing his throat.

“Fair enough. I’m not sure how comfortable the floor would be in my room, anyways.” Near shrugged, tucking his hair behind his ear.

“Y-yeah.” Mello said, fiercely ignoring the thought of being in Near’s room. Near was reaching for the doorknob, when-

“Hey if you want, I can walk you to your room.” Mello blurted out.

 _What?!_ Why did he say that?! Why didn’t his mouth consult with his brain before such a dumb thing came out of his mouth?

Near turned to him, slightly surprised.

“Oh, um...sure. I’d like that.” He said quietly, his cheeks pink. Mello nodded, opening the door and gesturing for Near to head out.

They walked in silence for a few moments, and it was late enough that Mello’s hallway was almost deserted, save for one guy talking on his phone. Mello looked over at Near, seeing him play with his hair. Mello fought a laugh. Whatever else he was feeling, that habit was still ridiculous.

Mello reached out, grabbing Near’s free hand. He knew it was weird, that there was no logical reason for him to be doing this, but he was getting tired of ignoring all of his jumbled thoughts and feelings. Near held on tight, which he hoped was a good sign.

They stopped at the elevator, stepping aside to let out a few people. When they stepped in, Near pressed the button and they began moving.

“Thanks for inviting me. I had a good time.” Near said quietly, looking over at Mello.

“Oh, yeah...it was pretty fun, huh?” Mello said, shifting awkwardly.

“Mhm.” Near reached up to touch his hair.

The elevator dinged and they walked off, Near leading the way. A few doors down, they stopped in front of Near’s dorm. As they did so, it just hit Mello that he’d never known where Near lived. Of course, he knew he lived in the building, but he’d never thought to ask where his room was. It felt...different. Why was this anything? Why was he kinda glad he knew where Near lived?

“So, this is your place?” Mello asked, glancing at the door.

“Yep.” Near nodded. “L and I share a room together.”

“Oh wow.” Mello raised his brows. “How's that?”

Near frowned, looking a little pouty.

“It's...interesting.” He said, sighing.

“Yeah?” Mello laughed quietly at his annoyed expression. “What do you mean?”

Near hummed.

“Well, he never sleeps. And then he always has Light over, and they’re both just...ugh.”

Mello raised a brow.

“They just, they butt into my life all the time and they try to ‘help’ with all of my school work, and they give me unsolicited advice on everything. It’s so annoying.” Near complained, running a hand through his hair.

“A-and Light is _always_ there! And I can’t stand him. I mean, I can barely stand L. Their opinions are so radically ideological and it drives me crazy. They’re both so self righteous, egotistical, and pompous.” Near finished, sighing loudly.

Mello stared at him, trying to hold back his laughter.

“What?” Near grumbled. Mello laughed.

“You do realize you basically just described yourself, right?” He said, smiling.

Near glared at him.

“Excuse you, I’m not pompous, nor am I ideological.” He said, rolling his eyes.

“Ehh…” Mello shrugged. “Potato, po-tah-to.”

Near smacked him in the arm, causing him to laugh.

“I have my flaws, but I also have people who don’t mind pointing them out. It helps me stay a little grounded, at least.” Near looked at Mello pointedly. “They just end up encouraging each other. It’s useless.”

“That is true.” Mello nodded. “You can always count on me to take you down a few pegs.”

Near let out a quiet laugh.

“And I’m always around to let you know when you’re getting too arrogant and emotional.” He shrugged.

“Hey! Being emotional isn’t a bad thing! At least I’m not some...robotic sheep like you!” Mello said, defensively.

“A robotic sheep?” Near asked flatly. “I don’t even know how to respond to that.”

“Yeah, you look like a sheep and you act like a robot. Makes perfect sense.” Mello said, giving Near a once over.

“Sheep. I’m a sheep.” Near frowned to himself.

“Sheeps are cute.” Mello shrugged. Near locked eyes with Mello, his face reddening, before quickly looking at his shoes and reaching up to twirl his hair. Mello felt a smirk spread across his face at the sight. Did he just fluster Near? That shouldn’t have made him as giddy as it did.

“Also, if they keep bugging you or anything, you can uh- I mean, you’re welcome to come over and hang out at our place anytime.” Mello said, shifting his weight and rubbing the back of his neck. Near looked back up at him, his eyes widening.

“I mean, it’s not usually so crazy over there. Everyone kinda keeps to themselves, so if you wanted a place to do your work without anyone being up in your business, um...well, the door’s open anytime.” Mello said, losing his nerve and staring at a spot on Near’s door.

He looked back to find Near staring at him, his lips lifting into a small smile.

“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind next time.” Near said, just a little shyly.

Mello nodded, unable to make his mouth work.

“I should let you get back.” Near said, glancing at his door. “Thanks for walking me up here.”

“Yeah, anytime.” Mello mumbled, feeling a little warm.

“I’ll see you in the morning?” Near asked, just barely tightening his grip on Mello’s hand.

“Mhm.” Mello nodded. He suddenly wished he’d accepted Near’s previous offer to stay in his room.

Near let go of his hand, waving once, before unlocking his door. When he shut it, Mello let out a sigh and walked down the hallway a few feet before stopping. He turned to rest his back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling.

That’s it. He has a crush. A really tiny, really stupid, extremely circumstantial crush. On Near. He has a crush on Near. It’s purely circumstantial. Nothing more.

_It’s only circumstantial, it’s completely temporary, it’s nothing, it’s nothing, it’ll go away, it’s barely even a crush._

If he kept repeating it, he could pretend it would come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh like i said, ridiculous haha
> 
> i hope you liked it anyways <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're ready for some awkwardly written dance scenes!!! I know I wasn't. (sorry for the shorter chapter!)

“I’m going to lose my mind, where the hell is it?!” Mello ripped back his comforter and threw his pillows on the floor, two chocolate bars flying into the air as he did so.

It was the next morning, and Mello was running late. He had a test in his second class, and he’d lost his notebook dedicated to just that class. He couldn’t believe he’d been so careless! It was that stupid Near’s fault; his Sunday's were usually set for studying for the week ahead, and then his stupid, barely existent crush got in the way. He pointedly ignored the fact that Matt had set up the evening, since it was just easier to blame everything on Near.

“Have you checked under the bed?” Near asked from the doorway. He had arrived 10 minutes ago, and they were usually halfway to their class by now. Linda, having stayed the night, had left ahead of them to grab coffee before their class.

“Of course I checked under the bed, idiot!” Mello snapped before turning to the closet, rifling through its contents.

“Hey, don’t get mad at me because you can’t keep track of your stuff.” Near said idly. Mello turned around to glare at him. Near tilted his head innocently.

“What does it look like again?” Matt called from the bathroom.

“It’s green and it says Org. Chem on it!” Mello yelled, throwing clothes around the room.

Near sighed and turned around, leaving the bedroom.

“I’m such an idiot! I'm going to fail this test! I can't believe this! And Near, I swear to _god_ if you start gloating then I'm going to punch-”

Mello was cut off by the notebook falling in front of his face. He looked up, seeing a bored Near standing in front of him, his arms crossed. Matt stood at the door, glued to his phone.

“It was between the couch and the wall. Let's go.” Near said, holding out his hand.

“Oh my god, oh my god, thank you, you saved my life!” Mello stood up and, without thinking, wrapped Near up in a hug.

It took him about two seconds to realize what he’d done, and he quickly dropped his arms, stepping back.

“Oh, uh- I'm s-sorry, shit-” Mello said quickly, skipping over his words.

“It's fine, don't- um...it's okay.” Near mumbled, his eyes wide and his cheeks pink.

It's okay? As in...Mello could hug him? Or it's okay, as in Near just wasn't offended but still didn't want to be touched? Near stared at him, flushed and bundled up in his bulky scarf, and he looked as if he was considering something, like maybe-

“Hey guys, we're gonna be late.” Matt said quietly from the doorway.

“Right, yeah let's uh- let's go.” Mello gripped his notebook and began walking behind Matt, Near trailing in the back.

~~~

A few hours later, Mello was sitting in one of the university’s cafes with Matt, studying for an upcoming quiz. Mello sipped his hot chocolate, his eyes glued to his notes, when his phone buzzed.

To: Mello  
From: Near  
If I have to hear Light refer to himself as ‘God of the new world’ while explaining why he would be an 'amazing presidential candidate,' I’m going to sew his mouth shut.

To: Near  
From: Mello  
i never realized you were so violent

To: Mello  
From: Near  
I can be, when provoked.

To: Near  
From: Mello  
is he loitering in your room again

To: Mello  
From: Near  
No, we have Advanced Probability together.

To: Near  
From: Mello  
jfc you're such a nerd

To: Mello  
From: Near  
Ah Mello, don't get bitter just because you're jealous :)

“What’re you so smiley about?” Matt asked.

Mello looked up to find a small smirk on Matt’s face. He felt his face heat up.

“Nothing.” He mumbled, putting his phone down. 

Mello looked over his textbook, distracted by the text. Did Near really use a smiley face? What a dork. He felt a pair of eyes on him, and looked back up. Matt was staring at him, holding back a grin.

“What?” Mello demanded.

“Hmm? Oh, nothing.” Matt said, his smile growing as he turned back to his notes.

Mello frowned, returning to his book as well. He looked over it for a few moments before sighing loudly, frustrated by the loaded silence.

“What? Just say it.” Mello said, scowling at Matt.

“I have absolutely nothing to say.” Matt said serenely, keeping his eyes on his notes.

“Okay, since when do you having nothing to say?” Mello asked, sitting back and crossing his arms.

“Since I decided I didn’t want hot chocolate thrown into my face.” Matt muttered, writing something down.

“Whatever.” Mello rolled his eyes, going back to his book.

Matt let out a small huff.

“Okay, listen…”

“What the fuck, I literally _just asked you_ if you wanted to talk!” Mello snapped.

“Anyways…” Matt continued pointedly, glaring at Mello for a second before his expression softened. “It’s just nice to see you happy. That’s all.”

Mello flushed.

“Wha- I’m not- I’m not happy…” He mumbled.

Matt narrowed his eyes at him.

“I’m not! Well, no more than usual!” Mello insisted.

“It’s okay, Mello. It’s okay for you to be happy. You know that, right?” Matt said quietly, looking so concerned that Mello almost wanted to slap him.

Mello said nothing, feeling a little caught off guard.

“He’s happy too, you know. Near is.” Matt said, nodding to Mello’s phone.

Mello looked at him. He couldn’t make sense of his jumbled thoughts.

“It’s not...like that.” He managed.

Matt raised his brows.

“For you? Oh. I didn’t know.” He said, not bothering to hide his surprise. He shrugged, taking a drink of his coffee.

“No, dumbass. For him.” Mello sighed, realizing too late that this was the closest he’s been to confessing his feelings.

Matt let out a loud laugh, startling Mello.

“What-”

“You’re kidding, right? Oh my god, please tell me you’re joking. I know you’re not this stupid, Mello.” Matt said, unable to control his laughter.

“I’m not stupid! What are you-” Mello began.

“He’s fucking crazy about you, man! Are you kidding me? He looks at you like you fucking hung the moon! My god, are you actually this oblivious?” Matt looked at him incredulously.

Mello stared at him, his mouth agape. 

“I’m not...I’m not _oblivious!_ He’s faking it! That’s what we’re doing, it’s just a fucking joke!” He said, running a hand through his hair. He didn’t really want to talk about this. At all. Ever.

“Is it a joke for you?” Matt asked, frowning at him.

“I-” Mello started, then stopped himself. It was a small crush. Born from this stupid situation. That’s all it was. Really. But was it a joke? Was it nothing to him?

“No.” He said quietly, running a hand over his face.

“Then why would it be a joke for him?” Matt asked seriously.

“I- it’s not-...you don’t understand, Matt.” Mello mumbled. Matt sighed loudly.

“Dude, you’re my best friend, but you piss me the fuck off sometimes.” He snapped. Mello glared at him.

“I get it. Okay? And yeah, I understand that I don’t really get it because I personally haven’t been through the shit you have. But don’t act like I haven’t been around for the past 3 years, watching you meander through life like you don’t fucking deserve happiness. Because you do. If anyone does, it’s you. And now you-”

Mello slammed his book shut, cutting him off.

“I’m done talking about this. Alright? Why don’t you just fuck off and stay out of my business.” Mello bit out, standing up and grabbing his notes.

“You know what? Fine. Do what you want. See if I give a shit.” Matt shook his head and turned back to his reading.

Mello stormed out of the cafe, gathering a couple of stares as he slammed the door.

~~~

Mello was laying in his bed later that afternoon, finishing up the first season of Gossip Girl, when Matt walked in. Mello scowled at him, rolling his eyes when Matt glared back. Matt opened the closet, looking around, when Mello scoffed, annoyed that he was still hanging around. Matt stood up and stomped over, yanking the earbuds out of Mello’s ears.

“What the fuck?!” Mello yelled, slamming his laptop shut.

“I’m sick of this! I don’t want to fight anymore, you piece of shit!” Matt shouted, throwing the headphones aside.

“So stop yelling at me!” Mello threw a chocolate bar at his head.

_“Fine!”_ Matt yelled, then clearing his throat and lowering his voice. “Fine.”

“I’m sorry, alright?” Mello said, crossing his arms.

“Well, I’m sorry too!” Matt grumbled.

“Fine!” Mello snapped.

“Fine!” Matt glared, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “How was your day?”

“It was stupid.” Mello mumbled. “And I actually need a favor.”

“That was fast.” Matt stifled a laugh.

“I need your car. Our kitchen is dying, man.”

Matt shrugged.

“Okay, cool. Only if you can drive me over to Linda’s.” He said.

“Sure. How’s that going by the way?” Mello asked, sitting up.

“Good! We snuggled last night. It was awesome.” Matt said, sighing happily.

“Nice.” Mello grinned.

“Yeah...she’s pretty great.” Matt said dreamily. Mello rolled his eyes.

“When are you going over there?” Mello asked.

“A few hours. I’ll let you know.” Matt said, picking up the headphones and tossing them back to Mello.

“Alright.” Mello opened his laptop back up, starting his show again.

~~~

“Have fun, _wear a condom!_ ” Mello yelled out the window after dropping Matt off at Linda’s apartment. Matt turned around in horror.

“Shut the fuck up!” Matt hissed, flipping him off. Linda stood at the door, tilting her head confusedly. Mello drove off, waving happily

Two hours later, Mello had finished packing the groceries away and was on his way back to town (he’d forgotten the milk, ugh), when his phone rang. It was Matt.

“Hello?” He answered.

“I need a favor.” Matt said quickly.

“Um, what’s up?” Mello asked, putting the phone on speaker as he passed a cop.

“I was supposed to pick Near up from work and I completely forgot. Could you pick him up for me? Things are going really good here!” Matt’s voice dropped to a frantic whisper during the last sentence.

“Fine. Where’s it at?” Mello said, sighing.

“I’ll text you the address. He should be done in like a half hour. Thanks so much, I owe you one.” Matt said.

“Yeah, whatever.” Mello said goodbye and hung up. A minute passed, and he got a text from Matt containing the address.

A few minutes later, Mello was pulling into the parking lot of a nondescript building. He pocketed his keys and adjusted his scarf as he walked inside. He checked his phone, noticing was a little early. Oh well.

He walked down a short, brightly lit hallway, running into a guy about his age. He looked to be a few years older than Mello and was pretty built. His hair was stylized into a small afro.

“Um..I’m not sure if you’re supposed to be here.” The guy said, stopping Mello. Mello frowned.

“I’m just picking someone up…” Mello said.

“Oh! First door on the right, then. I’m sure they won’t mind.” The guy said, jogging off. Mello shrugged and found the door he was speaking of.

He walked in, closing the door quietly. There was loud music playing, and there were about thirty people in the room. Half of them were on one side, lined up in rows in front of a mirrored wall, while the other half were split up into small groups, stretching or practicing some moves.

“Excuse me, this is a closed session.” A cold voice startled him. Mello looked over, seeing a girl a few years older than him. She had short dark hair, classic features, and a sharp glare.

“Oh um- I’m just here to pick up my...uh, I mean, is Near here?” Mello stuttered, glancing around.

The girl’s scowl immediately brightened.

“Oh! You’re here for Near? Wait, are you his boyfriend?!” The girl asked, smiling excitedly.

“Um, y-yeah…?” Mello wasn’t sure what to say. 

“Hey! Mello, right?” Another young woman walked up, smiling wide. Mello recognized her as Near’s friend from the party.

“Oh, hi. It’s Halle, right?” Mello asked, raising a hand to wave slightly.

“Yes! How’s it going? Are you here to see Near?” She asked kindly. Mello nodded, feeling a little overwhelmed.

“Speak of the devil.” The dark haired girl tilted her head. Mello looked over, seeing Near jog his way. He looked confused and a little flustered. His forehead had a slight sheen, and he was wearing some black leggings, a baggy black t-shirt with the sleeves cropped off along with some sneakers. He looked incredibly adorable. Mello smiled.

“Mello. What- um...why are-”

“Matt’s at Linda’s and I had his car, so…” Mello shrugged.

“Oh. H-hi.” Near said, his lips lifting into a smile. Mello’s smile widened.

“Near, you didn’t tell us he was so cute!” The dark haired girl said.

“Um…” Near turned to her in slight surprise. Mello was a little startled himself, having forgotten anyone else was even in the room. He realized they had a bit of an audience.

“Right. Mello, this is Kiyomi. Kiyomi, Mello.” Near said, gesturing to the girl. She reached out to shake Mello’s hand.

“It’s nice to meet you!” Kiyomi said, smiling. Mello smiled politely, nodding.

“Hey, did you find who you were looking for?” The guy that Mello had run into in the hallway joined their rapidly increasing group.

“Aizawa, this is Near’s boyfriend!” Halle said happily, gesturing to Mello. The guy, Aizawa, regarded Mello with slight surprise.

“Oh no way! Hey, it’s nice to meet you!” Aizawa said kindly, reaching out to shake Mello’s hand.

“Who’s this?!” A blonde girl walked up, looking at Mello curiously.

“Wedy, this is Mello, Near’s boyfriend.” Aizawa said.

Mello was starting to get overwhelmed again. It was really loud and crowded, and he felt completely out of his element.

“Okay, everyone, back off.” Near said, frowning at everybody as he gestured for them to take a step back. He walked over to Mello, grabbing his hand. Mello felt himself relax involuntarily, and he squeezed Near’s hand lightly.

“I’ve still got 15 minutes left.” Near said, looking up at Mello, twirling his hair. Mello shrugged.

“Okay. Does that mean I’m gonna see you dance?” He smirked.

“ _Yes!_ ”

“Definitely!” 

Halle and Wedy spoke at once, Wedy clapping excitedly.

“Ugh.” Near flushed and rubbed a hand over his face. He peered up at Mello. “Are you going to make fun of me?”

“Hmm.” Mello hummed. “I think it would be weirder if I _didn’t_ make fun of you.”

Near rolled his eyes.

“Whatever.” He sighed, squeezing his hand before letting go. Mello smiled.

“I think they’re done with their break.” Aizawa said to Near, nodding at one of the groups. Near waved before running over to join them, the rest of the group dissipating as well.

Mello stuck his hands in his pockets, watching Near slowly demonstrate a few dance moves to his group. Mello was surprised by how well he he moved, even in such slow, stilted motions. He could see Near addressing the group quietly before turning around to face the mirrored wall. He waited for a couple moments before immediately dancing to an invisible beat, his arms and legs moving in quick succession as his hips swayed fluidly. 

Mello felt his face flush as his eyes widened. He didn’t realize that anyone could move that well, let alone someone he knew, someone he fucking liked. This was bad. This was really bad. Mello couldn’t move his eyes from his hips, they were practically hypnotizing him. Holy shit.

A second later, Near stopped short and looked over his shoulder, saying something to his group. He waited a couple seconds before starting the complex routine over again. The group he was teaching danced along with him, looking far less composed and polished than Near did. He couldn’t believe that Near could look like that. Confident, flushed, in total control of his body. Was this really fair? Mello tried thinking of something else before his body decided to get too overheated. Of course he had to be wearing skinny jeans today. What had he been thinking?

“He’s really great, huh? You haven’t seen him dance before, right?” A voice startled him, and he turned to see Aizawa nodding to Near.

“Oh, um...no. I haven’t.” Mello said, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

“Near’s very talented. We’re lucky to have him.” Aizawa said, looking around the classroom.

“Yeah, h-he looks really, uh- yeah he’s talented.” Mello said, clearing his throat. Aizawa stifled a laugh.

“Nah I know what you mean, it can be rough.” He said, chuckling. Mello whipped around to look at him, narrowing his eyes.

“Did he tell you about the pole dancing class?” Aizawa asked.

“Uh. Yeah.” Mello said shortly. What the fuck was this guy’s problem?

“That was a hard time for everyone. Oh my god.” Aizawa said, shaking his head. Mello felt his fists clench, and he was about to go off on this guy if he didn’t watch his fucking mouth.

“Get this, I finally, _finally_ get the nerve to ask out Halle, and she announces that she’s planning on teaching a pole dancing class!” Aizawa laughed, running a hand over his face.

Mello relaxed, feeling a little silly. Oh. Why had he gotten so upset, anyways? Near’s not technically his boyfriend anyways. He shouldn’t get so defensive. But the thought of some hot, built guy ogling Near made his blood boil.

“And then, she asks if I’ll review her routine! I was a total wreck for the next three weeks. I couldn’t even look at her and I barely spoke to her. She thought I’d lost interest, and we eventually talked and did go out, but it was just the worst timing. I mean, it was hard enough asking someone I totally respect and care about, someone I work with, on a date. Then add in the pole dancing, and it was a disaster.” Aizawa ranted, shaking his head and laughing.

“That sounds terrible.” Mello laughed, watching as Near bent over and did a booty pop. _God_ , he was officially in hell.

“Yeah, so trust me. I understand your pain.” Aizawa said, clapping him on the shoulder. “If it’s any consolation, he talks about you a lot.”

“What?” Mello tore his eyes away from Near’s hips, staring at Aizawa. “What do you mean? What does he say?”

Aizawa laughed.

“C’mon, I’m not going to embarrass the kid. It’s just clear that he really likes you. He’s been really happy these past few weeks.” He said, smiling at Mello.

“Oh...good. That's- I'm glad.” Mello said, trying not to smile too wide and look like a total creep. It was difficult.

Aizawa nodded.

“Yeah. So don't fuck it up. Alright?” He said, clapping him on the back and walking away.

Mello let out a breath, watching Near help a student with a complicated transition move.

~~~

“So, what’d you think?” Near asked as Mello drove them back to the school.

“You were…” Amazing? Beautiful? Sexy? “You really are talented. It was cool.” Mello said, looking over at Near.

“Mmm. Thank you.” Near said quietly.

Mello nodded, adjusting the heat.

“Are you cold?” He asked.

“I'm okay.” Near said. Mello looked over at him. He was staring out the window, deep in thought.

“Are you mad that I showed up?” Mello asked.

Near turned to look at him, frowning. 

“Of course not.” He said before turning back to the window.

“Okay.” Mello mumbled.

They rode in silence; Mello knew something was up, but he didn't want to press Near. It wasn't his business anyways. 

Ten minutes later, Mello pulled into Matt’s usual spot, turning off the car. He was about to open the door, when-

“Mello.”

Mello turned to look at Near, knitting his brows together in confusion.

“What’s-”

“I don't want to do this anymore.” Near said seriously, turning to look straight at him.

Mello felt all of the air rush out of his lungs, the same time his stomach bottomed out and his heart pounded painfully.

There were very few times that Mello could say that he’d been completely blindsided. The last time he could remember was when he’d gotten his scar. Right now, he wasn't sure which hurt worse, to be honest.

“Oh.”

“I want to do this for real.” Near said, his cheeks flushed.

Mello looked at him, his eyes wide. Words failed him. He honestly didn't know what was happening.

“I don't want to be your fake boyfriend anymore. I want to be your real boyfriend.” Near said determinedly.

Mello couldn't breathe.

“I like you. And if you don't like me back, that's fine, but I need you to know that I can't do the fake thing anymore. I'm sorry.” Near said, beginning to sound a little nervous. “I hope this won't ruin our, um, friendship. A-and I’ll be the one to tell Matt that the arrangement is off, so you don't need to worr-”

“Okay.” Mello said without thinking.

Near looked at him, his face completely guarded and unreadable.

“Okay, as in you want me to tell him the arrangement is off?” He said, almost robotically.

Mello’s eyes widened. No. Shit. _No._ This wasn't- he couldn't think-

“No. Um.” Mello swallowed thickly. “Okay. L-let's do this. For real.”

Near’s poker face fell off, revealing wide eyes and a cautiously hopeful expression.

“For real? You mean-”

“I like you too.” Mello said, staring down at his hands. He felt like...like flying. He glanced at Near.

He was smiling, looking so relieved.

“Okay.” He whispered. “Okay.”

“So, in that case…” Mello cleared his throat. “Do you want to hang out tonight?”

“Yes.” Near said immediately. Mello let out a small laugh. And then he couldn't stop. Suddenly everything was amazing and ridiculous and absurd and perfect and all he wanted to do was hug Near.

“S-shut up…” Near said, giggling. Mello smiled, looking at him. Near pressed his hands against his cheeks, trying to calm down.

“Do you want to head up, then?” Mello asked. Near nodded, moving his hands to cover his eyes briefly.

“Yeah.” He said.

They got out of the car, and Mello held out his hand. Near grabbed it quickly, holding on tight. Mello’s heart was in his throat. This was real. Everything he was feeling, Near was feeling it too. Or something similar, anyways.

“So…” Mello began.

Near looked up at him curiously.

“I’m just kind of in shock here.” Mello laughed.

“Ah. Yeah.” Near said, letting out a quiet laugh.

“When did...like, so what prompted this?” Mello asked.

Near looked up at him, frowning slightly.

“What prompted the confession, or…?”

“I mean, I guess, yeah. Or, you know, whatever.” Mello cleared his throat.

Near rolled his eyes as he squeezed his hand.

“Well…” He began. “I had been considering it a little bit over the past week. But after last night and then today, that’s when I realized I couldn’t continue this way. I wanted you to walk me to my dorm and spend every evening with me, I wanted to hug you and have you come see me at work. And through all of that, I wanted to be able to actually call you mine.”

Mello exhaled shakily.

“And I wanted to be able to enjoy holding your hand without feeling guilty.” Near said, shrugging.

“Guilty? Why?” Mello blurted out.

Near hummed.

“It felt...inappropriate to enjoy it so much when you only saw it as a necessity.” He said quietly.

Mello frowned, stopping. They were only a few feet away from their building. Near looked at him, confused.

“I...it wasn’t a necessity.” Mello said, his brows knitting together. “I mean, maybe a little at first but then...no. It wasn’t like that at all. You know that, right?”

Near nodded. 

“Okay.” He murmured.

“Sorry, let’s keep going. It’s cold.” Mello said, nodding his head to the door and beginning to walk on.

Near stayed put, tugging his hand lightly. Mello turned back, a little confused. Near reached out and grabbed his other hand, pulling him a little closer. He then stood up on his tiptoes and pressed a light kiss to Mello’s scarred cheek, his face flushed as he pulled back.

Mello couldn't breathe. He was feeling so much, he was feeling too much, and he couldn't even comprehend it. He wondered if his mind has checked out for the evening.

Near pulled back, blushing, and made a motion to keep moving. Mello was still reeling and, without thinking, he tugged harder on Near’s hand, pulling him closer as he slipped a hand under his jaw, leaning in to softly kiss him on the mouth.

Oh. He wished he’d done this so much sooner. Near’s lips were soft and clumsy, and had he not been so completely smitten at the time, he might've made fun of him for his inexperience. As it was, Mello ended up finding it endearing.

It only lasted for about two seconds, but it didn't matter to Mello. When he pulled away, Near was looking at him with slight shock, his eyes a little glazed over.

“Uh. S-sorry. We should head up, it's freezing.” Mello said, his voice cracking.

Near nodded, still looking dazed. Mello squeezed his hand, turning to walk away when suddenly Near grabbed the front of his jacket, tugging down to kiss him a little more forcefully. Mello went still from shock for about a half second before he realized what was happening. He reached up to cradle Near’s face, eliciting a sigh from the other boy. He felt Near step closer, loosening his grip on Mello’s jacket before wrapping his arms around his waist.

Near began peppering kisses over Mello’s cheeks and jaw, his arms squeezing him closer. Mello let out a sigh, running his fingers through Near’s hair.

“Hey kids, keep it in your pants!” A joking voice rang out, startling the two. Mello snapped his head up and dropped his hands at the same time that Near took a quick step back. He looked around, his eyes finally landing on Sayu, who was doubled over laughing.

“D-didn’t mean to interrupt!” She choked out, clutching her stomach. Eventually she walked into the building, still laughing maniacally.

Mello turned back to Near, who seemed a little flustered, but mostly fine.

“So, it’s freezing. Should we go in?” Mello asked, shrugging. Near nodded, twirling a piece of his hair in one hand and grabbing Mello’s with the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woooooah now we're gettin somewhere...


End file.
